Demonology
by The Magic Pocket Turtle
Summary: HimXBubbles Hibbles : Him wants a child, and so he asks Bubbles to surrogate. Bubbles agrees, unaware that she is bearing the Anti-Christ and Him's next plot to destroy her and her sisters.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: Well, ta-da. Here is the first chapter of my first PPG fic, and my first big original project since "The Shadow-Men". This whole thing was inspired after a) reading crack pairing fics and b) trying to think of my own. And suddenly, two images popped into my head- Blossom playing chess with Mojo Jojo (Not really crack but…), and Bubbles window-shopping with Him. I found the second one to be infinitely more interesting (Because I'm a hopeless Him fan and there are simply not enough HimXBubbles fics. MojoXBlossom writers are holding their own out there.) So needed a plot. And Lo, the book "Rosemary's Baby" came to mind. No, this isn't a re-write using Him and Bubbles. Think of it as, "inspiration."

* * *

Being a Powerpuff Girl was exactly like being a celebrity. Every time a new baddie was defeated, or an old one re-incarcerated, the story was splashed across every newspaper and almost every tabloid. Of course, the stories were often a little fuzzy on the real facts. And as they grew older, more than mere heart pounding, blood pumping, smack-down dragged-out fights were being published. Romance, of course, had to be thrown into the mix. Therefore, Bubbles' first date vaguely resembled meat before starving jackals.

Bubbles had been the first to garner herself a boyfriend. He had been a muscular, tan, lifeguard of a boy that all the other high school girls had swooned over. Doubtless he would be the one to date a Powerpuff, who, on the dating scene, were trophies not unlike the Nobel Prize.

The date itself was far from romantic. The paparazzi were everywhere. Some were blatant, like the guy from _Shocker! Magazine_ who actually sat at the table next to theirs with his camera. He didn't last long, but he undoubtedly had the most interesting story.

So they got subtler. They loitered outside the windows. They disguised themselves as various forms of shrubbery (Which, being in the city of Townsville, was the least effective of disguises.). They did anything and everything humanly possible to get a picture, a story. Their waiter had been wearing a wire and sold their conversation for an undisclosed amount of money.

After about a week of this, they had decided to call it quits.

Bubbles' next boyfriend was less chiseled and gorgeous. But he was still cute, and intelligent. They went out periodically until Blossom came home with a copy of _Oh My God Weekly_. "Powerpuff Boyfriend Spills All!" Needless to say, their relationship didn't last much longer.

And so it went on. For all the Powerpuffs, but more so for Bubbles, as she seemed to zip through boyfriends quickly and ceaselessly. All of them either couldn't handle the stress, or were in it only for the glory of it all. Finally, at age eighteen, Bubbles stopped. She just ceased to date anyone. Blossom had been going steady for sometime now, but she was intelligent enough to avoid the paparazzi. Buttercup had sworn off men, and had moved on to women. (Bubbles had to admit; being bisexual had its advantages.) Bubbles had no such luck, and there were several bets running that she had no such conviction.

But by age twenty-two, Bubbles had effectively avoided the dating scene. While the three of them still fought crime, much of it was now out of town. It had long been decided that the Powerpuff Girls (Now, more appropriately the "Powerpuff Women") shouldn't restrict their abilities to a single city.

Blossom was engaged.

Buttercup, never the romantic, had nonetheless found someone who might be "The one."

Bubbles was beginning to feel lonely.

"Girls." The sun was going down when Bubbles decided to bring her decision to her sisters.

"What is it, Bubbles?" Blossom asked.

"Girls, I think… I think I want to adopt a kid."

There was a brief pause. The three of them floated in the air, and Blossom gave her sister an appraising look.

She looked exhausted. They had had to fly all the way over to Japan to stop some giant lizard that had decided to take a stroll through Tokyo, and none of them were exactly at their peak. Bubbles looked the worst of the lot. Her clothing was torn, dirt and soot smudged almost every inch of her visible skin- Blossom would be willing to bet that if it weren't for the smudging, she would be able to see some half healed bruises as well. Her hair was a mess and she didn't look at all capable of raising her head let alone a kid.

"Bubbles…" Blossom began, and the "joy and the laughter" could tell by her tone that Blossom would discourage her in the kindest way possible.

"Blossom! Please, I think a kid would be really good for me! I mean, you have Henry, and Blossom has Alison, but I don't have anybody! I'm all alone!"

"Bubbles, a kid might be good for you, but would you really be good for the kid? Look at yourself! You're beaten, and bruised, and what sort of attention could you possibly give to a child when you have to be on call to save the day?"

"But what about Henry and Alison?" Bubbles pleaded.

"Bubbles, Henry and Alison aren't kids. They can take care of themselves and, more importantly, they understand that we can't always be there for them. You can't do that with a kid."

"But-"

"Bubbles, maybe you should call the whole thing off. Go back to dating."

"But I don't want to go back to dating! It's done nothing good for me at all!"

Blossom sighed. "Bubbles, why don't you sleep on it? We'll discuss it in the morning."

With that, the head Powerpuff blasted away toward her home- and, Bubbles thought a little sadly, to her fiancée. Buttercup floated there next to her sister.

"Bubbles, as much as I hate to say it, Blossom is right. We just aren't ready for kids yet."

"So… you agree with her?"

"Well… I dunno. Maybe a little. But really, I just don't see why you'd want a screaming bag of poo and vomit."

Bubbles was quiet. Buttercup waited briefly for a response, then finally said "Look, I'll see you tomorrow."

And she was gone.

Bubbles floated wearily to her own home. Without bothering to get undressed or change clothes, she dropped herself onto her bed, face down in the pillows and blankets, and didn't move.

* * *

Blink.

11: 59.

Blink.

11:59.

Blink.

11:59.

Blink.

12:00.

As the little digital alarm clock struck 12:00, something red (Or maybe more pink) began to fill the room. It hovered around Bubbles like a thick fog, before it immediately condensed itself into a physical form.

Him struck a daring, sly, yet terrifying pose before realizing his host was still asleep. He frowned. He had completely forgotten that most people sleep at this time- it had been awhile.

He stood by her bed, tapping His goatee with His claw.

Blink.

12:06

He bent over the bed. Bubbles had not bothered to climb under the sheets in the night, and so she lay in the exact position she had fall en into before. Him wondered briefly how she could breathe like that.

Blink.

12: 17

Him ran his claw across the bookshelf. He still hadn't left Bubbles' room, and she hadn't stirred. He decided, then, to explore a bit before he woke her.

Few of the books seemed to have been opened, much less read. The few and the proud that bore creases down their spines seemed to consist almost entirely of self-help books. _How To Deal With Your Loneliness_, _Empower Yourself_ and _It's Your Life; Live It_ seemed to have the most wear on them. Him guessed that many of the others were given to her as presents-Likely from Blossom. _A Layman's Guide to Understanding The Interpersonal Relationships Between Modern Day Science and Religion_, _War and Peace; Unabridged Director's Cut_, and _The __Endochronic Properties of Resublimented Thiomoline_ were contenders in the proud but largely ignored section.

On the bottom shelf in the far right corner was a King James' Bible. Frowning, Him gingerly picked it up with his claws and leafed through it.

Blink.

1:37

Having finally grown bored of Bubbles' sparse reading material, Him had once again postponed awakening his host and began wandering around her apartment. Of all the Puffs, Bubbles lived closer to the center of the city. The view was fantastic, if concrete and moody Italian men were your thing. But it was tastefully decorated, to a point. Bubbles had never really gotten over the "Cute Animals" phase, and so framed images of vomit inducing adorableness were hung on almost ever free space- Kittens and puppies and fawns and bear cubs and hedgehogs and cats who adopted puppies and dogs who adopted leopard cubs and leopards who adopted monkey babies and every form of animal behavior that could possibly induce an ear-jarring "Awwww…" immediately assaulted Him's retinas. He quickly retired to the kitchen.

Blink. 5: 12

The sun was dawdling on the edge of the horizon when Bubbles awoke to the smell of pancakes. Her first thought was that Blossom had reconsidered her stance on the whole "No-baby" thing and had come to apologize. She blasted out of her bed and streaked toward the kitchen, where she skidded to a stunned halt.

Well, the person there was red.

Him looked away from the stove and over his shoulder, briefly appearing just as stunned as Bubbles. He then smiled and flopped a pancake over onto a plate. "Well good morning Bubbles." He said, his voice characteristically echoing about the kitchen. "You're up earlier than I expected."

"What are you doing here, Him?" Bubbles asked darkly. Her fist trembled slightly, but that was all that betrayed her fear of Him.

"Oh, don't be like that." Him pouted. "Pancake?" Bubbles shook her head. "Then do you mind?"

Bubbles shook her head again. Him carried the plate and a bottle of syrup over to the table and sat down. He immediately began pouring the sugary sap, and continued doing so until nearly half the bottle was gone. He then began to eat, blissfully ignoring the girl He had come to see.

"Him."

"Mmm-hmmm?" Him hummed his acknowledgement as he chewed, and glanced over at the blonde superhero.

"What are you doing here?"

Him swallowed. "Why my dear, what makes you assume that I want anything but your own sweet comp-"

"Him."

He quickly changed his subject. "I have a proposition for you."

"Why me?"

"_Don't you want to know what it is first?!_"

Bubbles flinched at his darker, more impatient voice, but still stood strong. If she had learned nothing else in a lifetime of crime fighting, it was that you had to at least act strong, even if your insides were turning into jell-O. "What is it?"

"Well, I, uh, ha ha ha…" Him started to stammer and flushed a bit, before finally spitting out. "I want you to have my child."

There was a pause as this sank in.

"Him, get out of my apartment!" Bubbles pointed to the door.

"No, wait!" Him scrambled to his feet nearly upsetting the table and the plate of syrup. "I need you to do this for me! You and your sisters are the only ones strong enough to even bring my child to term, and I know your sisters wouldn't even consider it!"

"Why do you want a child?"

"Because I'm LONELY!" Him wailed. "I haven't attacked Townsville since… well, you know."

Bubbles did know. It had been something of an accident, but Buttercup had made a bet with Him, which she had then won. Her sisters had known nothing of this, not up until the last moment. In a strangely out of character moment, Him had honored the wager, and hadn't attacked Townsville in the last eight years. At least, not directly.

Still, Bubbles softened. "You really want a kid?"

"Yes!" Him insisted, falling to his knees to emphasize his desperation.

"I… well… okay."

Him leapt to his feet. "Thank you! Oh his will be just wonderful!"

"I won't… I won't have to sleep with you will I?" Bubbles asked uncomfortably.

"What? No, of course not. Actually, I know a wonderful doctor…"


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Wow, this really took off. I just wanna say thanks to everyone who reviewed, you all really made my day. (Erm, week. I'm going to try to update this on a weekly basis. My work schedule is a touch screwy though, so I can't promise a set day.) I was really surprised how popular this pairing turned out to be. But anyway, just as a head's up to you all, this is unfortunately a relatively boring chapter. But, it's important because it sets up a lot of the plot! However, I can promise action and fluff in chapter three. (Why? 'cause I already wrote it, that's why!) Also, this is my first shot at romance. So seriously, put on your best rabid doggie hats and attack me for all it's worth. I could use the help. :)

* * *

Him paced outside the door. The doctor had taken his case without much incident- it was hard to deny anyone who was threatening you with excruciating torture. But once the door had closed Him had begun to worry. It wasn't Bubbles he was worried about. It was the child.

In truth, Him _was_ lonely. But, of course, that wasn't the only reason he'd wanted a child. After he had been banished from Townsville, he had spent a great deal of time looking for loopholes in the arrangement- he had tempted others into doing his dirty work, but neither that nor mind control had proved very effective.

He had only recently devised this particular scheme- He couldn't destroy Townsville, but his progeny could. All he needed was a child- Daughter or son, it mattered little.

All He needed was a surrogate strong enough.

* * *

As the anesthesia began to take hold, Bubbles began to second-guess herself. This could easily be a trap, and now it was too late to get out of it. She'd wanted not only a child, plus the bonus of an opportunity to make a decision outside of her sisters' influence. And now….

The darkness was coming.

* * *

Bubbles was slowly rising out of her sleep. In the distance (or perhaps nearby, it was hard to tell.) she could hear someone humming "Yankee Doodle." Groggily she squinted her eyes open, blinked twice, and sat up.

She was surprised to find herself in her own bed. The sun was coming in through the window, illuminating the contents of her room. To her left was a line of telephones, each bearing the name of their respective countries or cities, thanks to the only gift from Blossom she had ever used. ("It's a label-maker. You can use it to organize your things.")

"Good morning, Mom!" a singsong voice echoed.

"Him?" Bubbles rubbed her eyes as the red demon marched into the room with a bowl of colorless sludge.

"Speaking!" Him sat Himself down on a chair and dipped a spoon into a bowl. "Open up!"

"What is that?" Bubbles asked warily.

"Why, its oatmeal! It's good for you."

"Since when do you care what's good for me?"

"Since you agreed to surrogate. Of course, the egg hasn't quite taken yet- it'll be a few days. But I'll be right here until it's out."

Bubbles blanched. "You didn't say anything about that when we started."

"No? Well, it must have slipped my mind." Him waved the laden spoon in front of her face. "Now, open up!"

Bubbles grudgingly obliged, and choked down the spoonful. "What's in that?"

"I told you it's oatmeal."

"Well, yeah, but isn't there any sugar?"

"Sugar?" Him looked appalled. "You can't have sugar! It's bad for you!"

"So? You had a lot of syrup yesterday with that pancake."

"I wasn't pregnant." Him huffed. "Now listen, you're the surrogate, so you have to listen to me, and I say no sugar!"

"But I'm made of sugar!" Bubbles wailed.

"Really?" Him looked surprised.

"Well, yeah. You know, 'sugar, 'n spice, 'n everything nice?' Well, Blossom is everything nice, and Buttercup is obviously spice, so I'm sugar."

"Really?" Him seemed genuinely interested. "I would have expected you to be everything nice."

"No, I'm sugar."

Him was silent. "I suppose we can add a _little_ sugar."

"Yes!" Bubbles cheered. "Use the brown sugar- that's the best kind."

"I'll use whatever sugar I think is best." Him snapped. He disappeared out the door, then reappeared with the bowl of (now sugared) oatmeal. Bubbles peered into the bowl, and sniffed. It wasn't a lot, maybe about half a spoonful, but at least it was brown. "Now, _open up_."

"I can feed myself." Bubbles retorted.

Him reluctantly gave her the bowl. She stirred the sugar in slowly. Him sat staring at her. She began to eat it bit by bit, her eyes never leaving Him's. She finished her food and set it aside. Him absently waved his claw and it vanished. Still watching the demon, Bubbles began to push herself out of bed.

"Don't get up! Don't get up! What do you need? I'll get it!" Him shrieked.

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"Oh." Him nervously watched Bubbles stand. Then, as though he couldn't take it any longer, he hurried over to the other side of the bed, carefully lifted her up, and carried her over to the bathroom.

"Him!" Bubbles screamed. "Put me down! I'll be fine! Put me down!"

Him carefully set her down at the threshold of the bathroom. "I'll be waiting right here until you're done."

Bubbled hastily rushed inside the temporary sanctuary and slammed the door. Him crossed his arms and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

He strained his ears for the tell-tale sounds of flushing, water running, anything. He heard nothing but silence. He began twitching.

"Bubbles?" Him tapped the door. "Bubbles, are you in there?"

Nothing.

"Bubbles? Bubbles! Bubbles, I'm coming in there!"

He immediately teleported into the bathroom. Bubbles was gone.

* * *

Bubbles was flying over Townsville. Him's sudden smothering had left her with little room to breath- now she was simply floating about in the air, calmly and serenely. The sky was blue, the clouds were few and she was going to be a mother.

A red cloud suddenly appeared before her, then dispersed to reveal a less-than-impressed Him.

"_Where did you think you were going? Do you have any idea how worried I was?!" _

"Calm down Him. I just went out flying, that's all."

"_Exactly_!" He hissed. "_You do realize that you're not even really pregnant yet?! The egg still needs to take! I'm not risking losing another brat, so you're coming with me and you're staying in bed until we're fully sure you're pregnant_!"

Shocked and slightly confused, Bubbles obeyed without another word.

* * *

"No, no I'm fine."

"No, I'm not mad."

"Really, it's okay, I just feel like I should rest awhile."

"No, really, I understand completely."

"I do not blame you."

"I'm not sick."

"I'm perfectly fine."

"I'm fine."

"Really, I'm fine!"

"What?"

"Oh, okay. I'll talk with you soon, 'kay?"

"All right. Uh-huh. Bye."

Bubbles dropped the phone back onto the receiver and lay back down on the pillows. A day had passed since she had made her bid for freedom, and since then she and Him had come to an agreement.

Firstly, Bubbles wouldn't leave the apartment until they were both positive that she was pregnant. She wasn't sure what outside her home was so threatening, but she decided not to question it.

Secondly, Him would not hover over Bubbles every waking (or sleeping) moment, and the puff would be allowed some privacy.

Within these boundries, the two of them could rest easily. Bubbles had decided against telling her sisters of her deal just yet, and so instead insisted that she wanted to stay home and do some soul searching.

On day three, Blossom had stopped by. "I got a book for you!"

Him had agreed to let Bubbles out of bed to answer the door, so it was to Bubbles that the small, square tome was given.

"Thanks, Blossom!" Bubbles said with an enthusiasm perfected over years of predictable gifts from her sister. She looked at the cover. "What is it?"

"The Bible. King James's Version."

"I already have a Bible."

"You do?" Blossom was surprised- she had been certain she knew of every book on her sister's shelf.

"Yeah, I got it at the hotel we stayed at a few years ago."

"Bubbles, you're not supposed to take those."

"You're not?"

Blossom sighed. "Why don't you take this as back up, okay?"

"Um, okay. Thanks."

Blossom beamed. "I think it will help your soul searching. I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to be at the Mayor's in about a minute."

"Oh, okay. I'll see you later, then."

"See ya!"

And Blossom was gone. Bubbles closed the door, and wandered back into her room. "What do you have there?" Him's voice asked. He materialized next to her, looking over her shoulder.

"The Bible."

"Oh."

Bubbles set the book down and sat down on her bed. "Him, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"What did you mean the other day, when you said you didn't want to risk losing another kid… what did you mean?"

Him gave her a funny look. Then He looked down.

"You weren't the first person I went to for a surrogate. I talked with others first. You know, there is a large supply of women out there who were quite enthusiastic about bearing my child. Satanists, you know? But… none of them were strong enough. They kept having miscarriages, or dying."

"Couldn't you bring them back to life like the Rowdyruff boys?" Bubbles questioned.

Him shook His head. "They weren't properly born. I can't revive anyone who didn't live in the first place."

"So, they all just died?"

"No, they never really existed. Their souls were probably recycled into someone else's fetus."

"How many of them were there?"

Him was silent. After a moment, Bubbles leaned over and pulled Him into a hug. The demon gave her a shocked look as she pulled away. "It's okay." She said brightly. "I promise this one will be born."

Two days later, she tested positive.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: This one is a touch longer than the other's, but a good bit happens in it. And the next chapter is short and fairly pointless. All right, other than that, I have two or three other things I feel I should tell y'all.

One: I probably should have brought this up earlier, and I'm sure most of you will put on your "well, duh!" faces on, but really, if any of you are hoping for it, I'm just going to tell you all now- There will be no sex in this story. I know, I know, none of you have brought it up, but that's what pre-emptive strikes are for! And yes, I am well aware that sex while pregnant is very, very disturbing for many people, but she does give birth to the baby, and then she ceases to be pregnant. Either way, there will be no sex. Why? 'Cause I strongly believe that romance shouldn't climax with fornication. Sex is the reason I rarely read romance, and why this is the first romance (Out of three or so years of writing!) that I've done. So, sorry. Besides, I don't know what I'd write.

Two: I saw my very first episode of the Powerpuff Anime, and thoroughly fell in love with their depiction of Him.

Now, I just want to thank everyone whose reviewed. I try to respond to them personally, but quite frankly, I tend to not because I don't know what to say. So I thank you all from the bottom of my egotistical heart, which every review feeds by the way.

* * *

"Ta-da!"

Him proudly displayed His (nearly) sugar-free, chocolate cake embossed in pink icing. In celebration of Bubbles's conception, Him had attacked her kitchen with full force, baking and stirring and mixing and boiling and essentially preparing a multiple course meal for the blue puff, reminding her that she was "eating for two now", never mind that number two wasn't even an inch long.

"For dessert." Him said quickly as he pulled the cake out of reach of Bubbles's fork.

"But," she protested "Isn't it time for dessert _now_?"

"No." Him placed the cake on the counter. "Now it's time for fish."

Bubbles stared at Him in disbelief. "How is it time for fish? I've had lasagna, mushroom soup, caesar salad, fruit salad, two kinds of cheese…"

"And now, two kinds of fish." Him promptly placed a plate of sliced salmon and bass in front of her. "Eat up."

"I'm going to be full before I get to the cake." Bubbles grumbled.

"That's the plan." Him smirked.

Bubbles sighed. "I _told_ you. Sugar will _not harm the baby_. I'm _made_ of sugar, therefore the baby is _half_ sugar, it won't harm anything."

"Well there's no reason not to be careful."

Having argued the point without end beforehand, and finally tiring of it, Bubbles decided to change the subject. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"Hmm?" Him plopped into a chair and propped his head up on a claw.

"Well, you've been serving me for a couple of hours now, and I haven't seen you eat anything. Aren't you hungry?"

Him was stunned- actually, He _was_ hungry. He had been so focused on making sure that Bubbles was eating heartily, He had completely neglected His own growling, clawing stomach. He eyed Bubbles's plate. Grinning, the puff pushed it over to Him. He shook his head. "No, this is your-"

"Him, you're starving. I see it." She gave Him a smile that effectively said, "I'm kidding, but I'm not."

Him shook His head again. "I told you-"

"Him, remember, I've eaten lasagna, mushroom soup, caesar salad, fruit salad and two kinds of cheese. I think I can do without fish."

"But-"

"Him."

"But-"

"_Him_."

"But-"

"_HIM!!_"

The devil looked startled. "Him, you can't raise a baby as a skeleton."

Him gave up. He pulled the plate closer to himself, conjured up a fork, and began eating. Bubbles smiled. He looked kind of funny when He ate. He hunched over his plate, like a predator protecting it's prey, staring at it like it was going to run away and leaving little room for the fork to travel between His mouth and the plate. He also had a tendency to purse His lips while chewing. Bubbles giggled. Him looked up at her.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing." Bubbles giggled again.

Him blinked, shrugged, and went back to eating. Bubbles swung her feet. "Do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?"

"A boy." Him mumbled between bites.

"Really, what makes you so sure?"

"It's my child. It has to be a boy."

"I dunno. I think a little girl would be fun though. We could dress her up in pretty dresses, and when she grows up, we could teach her how to put on makeup! But, you can't do that with a boy…" She studied Him. "Then again, he'd be _your_ son."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Him questioned.

"Well, _you_ wear make up _and_ a miniskirt. Maybe your son would take after you."

Him nodded. "Perhaps."

Bubbled gazed into space for a moment. "What do you think we should name him?"

"Hmm?"

"The baby! What do you think we should name him?" Bubbles became excited. "You know what name I've always like for a boy? Jack. I remember, in all the fairytales the professor used to read to me when I was little, the hero was always named 'Jack', and I always thought to myself, 'If I have a little boy, I'd like to name him 'Jack', because-"

"Bubbles." Him interrupted.

"What?"

"You… do realize that after the baby is born, I take him home with me. You keep saying 'we' but, you're just the surrogate. You can't keep him."

"Oh." Bubbles's face fell. Her forehead wrinkled, her eyes watered, and she sniffed a little. "I forgot."

"Bubbles-"

"Please excuse me." Bubbles pushed back her seat and began to walk toward her room.

"Bubbles, I-"

"If it's all the same," she whispered, "I'd like to be alone right now."

Him watched as she closed her door behind her. He sank down a little, and rested his forearm over his eyes. Nothing good could come of this.

* * *

Bubbles went to lay down on her bed. She started to lay on her stomach, thought better of it, and lay on her back. She pulled a pillow over her face and started to cry quietly.

She _had_ forgotten. Him had been so caring over the past few days and she had been so excited about the baby that she had completely lost track of reality. When the baby was born, Him would leave and take the baby with Him. She wouldn't have any say in his naming or raising- she wouldn't be there to watch him grow, or hear his first words, or see his first steps… She might never even see him again.

It would be just like not having a baby in the first place, only much, much worse.

At about nine o'clock that night Bubbles received a phone call. Wearily she picked up the phone and shuddered "Hello?"

"Bubbles, have you been crying?"

Bubbles curled onto her side. "No…"

"Yes you have. Come on, you're a terrible liar."

"I know."

"Well, that settles it. Why don't you go to the bar with me?"

"I don't know, Buttercup."

"Come on, it sounds like you need to cheer up, and where better than an overcrowded dance floor with blasting music tossing back the booze?"

"Actually, I've been thinking about cutting off the beer."

"Well, you don't have to drink. You can help me home when I'm plastered!"

"I don't know…"

"Come on, Mitch bailed on me and Alison hates all the good clubs, so I don't have anyone else to go with!"

It _would_ make her feel better. And she _definitely_ needed to get out of her apartment.

"When should we meet up?"

"Can you be ready in, like, half an hour?"

"No."

"Well, how about an hour?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Great, I'll meet you at your place."

* * *

"Where are you going?"

Bubbles hadn't even considered that Him might still be in the apartment. "Um, out."

Him scrutinized the puff. She was wearing white. White pants, white shirt with trailing sleeves, and low white heels. The only bit of color she had on her was a sash wrapped around her waist in her signature hue.

"Where out?"

Bubbles decided on the truth. "Buttercup invited me to a bar."

Him sat bolt upright in his armchair. "To _where?!_" He screeched.

"I just need to relax, and I promise not to drink-"

"_I don't care!_" Him screamed further. "_I forbid it! You will not go to the bar! Think of the baby!!"_

"I _am_ thinking of the baby. I'm not going to drink, and I won't be dancing, I'll just sit at the counter until Buttercup is ready to go." She began to walk to the door.

As she laid her hand on the doorknob, Him grabbed her arm in her claw. "_No_." He hissed.

"Let me go." Bubbles returned.

The two glared at each other, locked in a battled of wills. They were interrupted by a knock. "Hey Bubbles!" Buttercup's voice came. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." Bubbles continued to glare at Him. She twisted the knob and He vanished.

Bubbles opened the door. "About time. Let's go!" Buttercup said.

And they were off. Streaking through the sky Buttercup and Bubbles shot toward their destination. Bubbles barely heard her sister's excited descriptions about the newest nightclub as she felt the wind against her face. It felt good to fly again.

Her reverie was broken by Buttercup's gasp, then scream of outrage.

Their destination was in flames. Orange and bright and crackling, the girls could only stare at the sight before them.

Buttercup was the first to react. Still screaming her fury, she dove into the flames, then burst back out again, a person in each arm. She deposited them a safe distance away, then dove back in, screaming "COME ON!!"

Bubbled moved forward a few inches, then hesitated. Buttercup flew back out with another two citizens, and dropped them next to the others. "Well?" She breathed.

Sirens then wailed onto the scenes. Firefighters poured out, their helmets glistening in the firelight. Buttercup continued to fly in and out, bringing out two people at a time. Bubbles floated off to the side, unsure of what to do. Finally, she decided to help the firefighters, and began blowing massive breaths into the fire in an attempt to blow it out.

It worked, to some degree. She managed to stop the flames of an entire room, but not before Buttercup had rescued the remaining barhoppers and the firefighters had extinguished the majority of the flames. They waved their thanks to Buttercup as she flew up to her sister.

"What's the matter with you?" she yelled. "What the hell? I could have used some help in there!"

"I'm sorry." Whispered Bubbles. She looked at the ground and grabbed her arm.

"I'm sorry? I'm SORRY?! Jeezus, Bubbles!" Buttercup growled and looked back at the smoldering once-bar. "God dammit! Man, this sucks. This really fuckin' sucks."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, knock it off."

The two puffs hovered there a moment. Buttercup sighed. "Come on, we'll find another bar."

"Are you sure?" Bubbles asked. "Maybe you should change."

Buttercup studied her singed outfit. "Nah, it's fine."

The two of them shot off, Buttercup leading the way.

"Oh MAN!" Buttercup screamed.

Her back-up bar, "The Tipsy Koala" was aflame. Once again, she dove into the fire and came back out with two others. She shot a glare at Bubbles that said. "_You'd better help this time._"

She did. Bubbles shot to the nearest lake she could find. She hunted around until she spotted a row boat. Throwing the oars onto the dock, she filled the boat with water then sped back to the blazing bar. Tossing the water onto the flames, she didn't even bother to check her work before she sped back to the lake. Scooping up more water, she sped back to the bar.

It went on like this. The instant she and Buttercup arrived at a bar, it would be in flames. Buttercup would rescue the trapped citizens while Bubbles poured water onto the fire.

The eighth time they tried a bar, the culprit was still there. Bubbles wasn't surprised she had guessed some time ago. Buttercup, however, was less apathetic.

"HIM!" she bellowed, too angry to be frightened. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

"Why Buttercup." Him said sweetly, albeit warily. "Fancy meeting you here."

"I'M GONNA POUND YOU INTO THE GROUND!" The green Puff shrieked, shooting towards Him, fist outstretched.

Him dodged easily, but Buttercup swerved before falling into the fire. She flew back towards Him, this time stopping right in front of Him to trade blows. Bubbles watched in horror as Him didn't even try to fight back. In fact, He seemed incapable of it. It was like His entire body was paralyzed, unable to resist Buttercup's brutal assault. It was a full ten minutes before Bubbles realized exactly what was going on. _His bet with Buttercup. He's still bound to it! He wasn't supposed to destroy Townsville anymore. Now he can't fight back._

"Buttercup!" Bubbles screamed, zooming toward her sister. "Buttercup, stop!"

"Why should I?" the green puff hissed, still clutching Him's shirt, fist poised in midair.

"Look at Him!" Bubbles gestured. "If you keep going He'll die!"

"Good!" retorted Buttercup, letting the punch she had paused fall, striking Him in the face. The devil moaned.

"Buttercup!"

Buttercup glared at her sister, then at Him. She hit Him one last time, the dropped Him. "Let's go home, Bubbles."

Bubbles nodded. Buttercup began to fly away- The firemen could handle it from here. Bubbles glanced back to where Him had fallen. The devil had vanished. Bubbles followed her sister.

It didn't take ling until they had returned to Bubbles's apartment. "I'm sorry I wasn't more help." Bubbles said.

"You should be. I don't know what your problem is, but you better get over it fast."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I know." Buttercup yawned. "Look, I'm gonna go hit the hay. See ya later, okay?"

"Good night."

"Yeah."

Buttercup blasted away. Bubbles hovered before her door then finally entered. The hallway seemed empty (Which it was, it just felt emptier than usual.) She hesitated before her apartment door, then finally opened it.

There was nothing unusual about the living room area. But on the floor of the kitchen space was a splotch of blood. It trailed into the bathroom, where she could hear the clink of vials moving around and heavy, labored breathing.

The door was partially open, so Bubbles pushed it the rest of the way. "Him?"

He looked at her. In the lighting of the bathroom Bubbles could see just how badly her sister had beat Him. His face was already swelling and bruised. His nose was almost certainly broken, and his lips were split in three places. One pointed ear was crumpled, and one eye was swelling shut. In several places along his face the skin had broken open, and half-dried blood had spilled down his cheeks and chin. His thin neck sported some bruises while his chest and shoulders were slowly turning a mottled black. He looked away. Bubbles winced. Her eyes started to water.

Him picked up a bottle of peroxide. His legs began to tremble, then suddenly they collapsed from under Him. Bubbles caught Him on His way down. Gently she carried Him into her room and laid Him out on her bed. He sighed- that little bit of movement had sent slivers of pain throughout His nervous system. Bubbles disappeared, then reappeared with a first aid kit, a bowl of warm water, a washcloth, and the bottle of hydrogen peroxide.

She set it on a side table and flicked it open. Surveying the items within it, she then turned to the washcloth. Dipping it into the warm water, she then wrung it out and began to wipe Him's face. Him was silent.

Dropping the bloodied back into the water, Bubbles then turned to the peroxide. Twisting off the cap, she poured some of the liquid into it and set both down on the side desk. She dipped a cotton ball into the peroxide and began swabbing the lacerations on Him's face. He moaned a little at this, so Bubbles leaned over and blew gently on them. "Shhh… shhh." She murmured, almost mechanically stroking His hair as she did so. She then frowned. "This is going to hurt."

She carefully placed her thumbs on either side of Him's nose. "One…" she said calmly. "Two… Three." Swiftly she wrenched His nose into place, causing Him to howl.

"Shh…. Shhh…. Calm down, calm down." Bubbles soothed.

"That… You could have warned me of that."

"I did. I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd make such a fuss. My sisters and I break our noses all the time."

"Noses? You don't even have noses. Or thumbs for that matter."

"Yes we do. See?" Bubbles held up her hands and gestured at her face. "They grew in when we hit puberty."

"My dear, that's absolutely absurd."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"No, it's not."

"Yes it is."

"Him!" Bubbles sighed, exasperated. "It's not absurd because it is. We really did grow fingers and noses."

Him shook his head, and immediately regretted it. Groaning, he leaned back further into the pillows.

Bubbles continued to tend to the broken devil, bandaging His wounds, rubbing balms into His bruises, and talking quietly to Him.

She wasn't quite sure when she fell asleep, but she awoke the next morning curled in her bed, with Him still asleep beside her.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: All righty, here's the re-write of the chapter. I hope it's an improvement.

* * *

One of the phones was beeping. Jerked awake by the noise, Bubbles stared blankly at it for a moment, confused as to exactly why it was beeping, as it had been a calm two months after the lizard had attacked Tokyo. Slowly, she picked up the line to Japan. "Mmmhmmm?"

"BUBBLES!"

This was enough to jolt the blue puff awake. She held the phone out from her ear and yelled back "WHAT?"

"BUBBLES, THE LIZARD IS BACK, WE NEED YOU OVER HERE STAT!" there was a muffled scream and an explosion in the background. "HURRY UP!"

"Don't worry! I'm coming!" Bubbles threw down the phone and zoomed over to her closet. She pulled on the first things she grabbed and threw her window open.

"WAIT!"

Bubbles looked over her shoulder at Him. "What?"

"Where are you going?!"

"I have to help my sisters! The lizard's back and-"

"You can't, Bubbles! What if the you get hurt?"

"I can't think about that right now! My sisters are in danger!"

"Bubbles-"

But the blue puff had already vanished out the window. Him stared, dumbstruck. "_DAMN IT_!" He shrieked.

* * *

The lizard was huge. It was roughly twice as tall as any of the buildings in Tokyo. Bubbles arrived on the scene just as the behemoth swatted both of her sisters to the ground. "Girls!" she screamed, diving down as they pulled themselves out of the pavement.

"About time, Bubbles!" Buttercup yelled.

"Come on, girls. Three Layers Formation!"

The Three Layers Formation was specifically created to bring down larger-than-life baddies. Buttercup, being the strongest, would immediately attack their legs, focusing on the soft spots behind their knees. Blossom would go for the stomach with her ice breath, which would generally make it difficult for the baddie to move as its inner workings slowed down. Bubbles would go for the eyes.

The attack was generally an effective one. This time however, it failed miserably. When Buttercup landed a blow behind the knee, the monster reflexively bent its leg like a woman being kissed in a romance film, effectively crushing the green puff. Blossom was swatted into a building before she could get within range of the beast's belly. Bubbles barely managed to pull out of the beast's back swing, although one serrated claw gouged her leg. Bubbles muffled a scream, and clamped both hands over the bleeding wound. She was suddenly terrified, finally aware that not only she, but her child was now in mortal danger.

"Bubbles! Move!"

Bubbles looked down. Yard long teeth, each with a saw-like edge, and a wagging drooling tongue rising up at her.

Bubbles shot further upward. The mouth clamped down on empty air, and the monster slammed back to its feet. Growling, it tossed its head back up and roared. Bubbles's heart pounded. Somewhere in the distance, she heard "Go for its throat!"

Mechanically, she obeyed, but did so slowly. Too slowly. By the time her sisters had reached the target area, the beast's head was already looming over the blue puff. This time, she didn't have time to dive out of the way. She closed her eyes.

The beast's mouth clamped down around her. She managed to avoid the teeth, only to be pressed back against them by the monster's tongue. Bubbles grunted and shot her arms out, creating a patch of air around her stomach where she held back the pink, squishy organ. Now she was trapped. She needed both her hands and all her strength just to hold back the mass of flesh, and her legs were pinned against the teeth. She couldn't even scream as the tongue folded itself about her face. She was completely paralyzed, and was slowly blacking out. She felt a light tap in her stomach. The baby!

She suddenly felt the pressure about her shift. The monster threw its head back and roared in pain, a single tooth having been torn from its socket. Bubbles felt herself being tugged out of the way. "Bubbles! Snap out of it!" Buttercup shook her sister, who looked blearily up at her.

"Bubbles!" Blossom appeared beside them. "Are you okay?"

Bubbles coughed. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good." Blossom immediately switched gears. "Okay, our normal procedure didn't work. What we need to do is catch it by surprise. "What did we do last time?"

A clawed paw swiped between them. The three shot backwards, then moved further out of the way.

"The Three Layers Formation, but that didn't work this time." Blossom continued.

"Would you stop with the prologue?" Buttercup shouted. "Look, let's just attack him all at once!"

"That won't work."

"Do you have any better ideas?"

Blossom looked at her quieter sister, who was nervously holding her stomach. "Yes!" Blossom cried. "We'll attack it from the inside! We'll fly directly at its mouth, and when it opens, we'll fly inside and attack its inner organs!"

"No!" Bubbles yelped. "We can't do that!"

"Look, its too tough to attack from the outside. The only other way is inside!"

"But- but-"

Ignoring her sister's pleas, Blossom gave her orders. "Let's go!"

Green and pink zoomed toward the muzzle of the beast, leaving blue behind. Bubbles closed her eyes. Her sisters were counting on her. If she didn't help, millions of people could die as the monster continued its destruction of Japan's capital. But if she followed her sister's orders, she ran the risk of killing her child.

What could she do?

She heard a light poof, then an all-too familiar voice. "Well, _there_ you are!"

Him. It was Him. And while her sisters hovered, horrified under the beast's chin, Him hovered directly in front of Bubbles. The beast hissed. It wasn't quite willing to attack the creature in the tutu, despite the fact that its prey was blocked by it.

Him tapped His claw against His goatee and smiled maliciously. The reptile began to look uncomfortable and backed away, growling and hissing. Him advanced on it. The beast continued to back up. Then, as though suddenly angered, the creature snapped forward and chomped down on the devil. Buttercup and Blossom scattered out of the way, flying over to flank their sister, who was wide eyed in shock.

The creature stood, as though contemplating what to do. The Powerpuffs stayed where they were, unsure how to react to this new twist. The pause was broken by Bubbles's horrified, sobbing scream. "_NOOOO_!"

The beast's head snapped to focus on the puffs. It growled and began to advance on them, as Bubbles continued to scream.

"_Oh my, that simply won't do._"

The creature's throat bulged. Him's claw came tearing through the beast's scales, spraying thick red blood out onto the city below. The beast stumbled backward, gurgling. Him, floating out from the cavernous gash in the monster's throat, turned to face it again. Dripping blood and spit, He glared at it. Then, He swung his claw at the creature again, His arms stretching to strike the beast in the face. It was an unnecessary blow, as the creature's eyes rolled inward to face its skull, and all twenty tons of scale and meat began to topple to the ground. Blossom and Buttercup grabbed their sister's arms and pulled her from the danger, as the beast fell through the air where they had been moments before, finally crashing, dead, to the ground.

Him waved a claw and the beast caught fire, vanishing quickly into the blue flames. Now the only signs that it had ever been there were the ruined buildings and the five blocks of scorched cement.

Him turned and approached Bubbles. He crossed His arms and glared accusingly. The blue puff only glanced down.

Her sisters immediately moved in front of her. "Back off, Him!" Blossom threatened.

"Or else." Buttercup crossed her arms and gave the devil her signature glare.

Him sighed. "Girls-"

"Girls," Bubbles whimpered, eyes still cast downward. "I have something to tell you."

"Has Him been giving you trouble? Is that why you've been so distant lately?" Blossom asked, still glaring at the red devil.

"No, it's not that." Bubbles sighed. "Girls, I'm pregnant."

The two were floored. Their jaws dropped. "What?!"

"I'm pregnant. I'm about two months along. Him's the father."

"You're lying." Blossom stated, staring at her sister in disbelief. Her _innocent_ sister, who still resembled a child in personality. Her sister who simply couldn't be carrying the spawn of someone so evil. It wasn't logical.

"No, I'm not." Bubbles looked up at her sisters. Buttercup looked surprised, but seemed nowhere near as horrified and betrayed as Blossom.

"Why?" The green puff finally asked.

"I- I," Bubbles swallowed. "I was just trying to help! Him only wants a child, and I want a child, but-"

Blossom slapped her. "You. _Idiot_." She hissed. "What did I tell you? I thought I told you we couldn't have kids! Now you go and do this behind our backs? With _HIM_?!"

"It's not like that!" Bubbles insisted. "I'm just… I'm just a surrogate! I won't even get to keep the baby!"

"Aw, jeeze." Buttercup muttered. "You're gonna go through all this and not even keep the baby? Are you stupid or something?"

"Buttercup…" Blossom warned. Then, turning to Him, she said "Him, we'd like to have a word with our sister. _Alone_."

"Fine with me."

The devil floated out of earshot. Just to be safe, the three Powerpuffs flew to one of the still standing buildings.

"Bubbles, how could you do this to us?" Blossom stressed.

"I just… He just… He seemed so sad and I really wanted a kid, and you said I couldn't have one so I thought if I just had this one for Him it would be a good compromise, and-"

"Bubbles." Blossom interrupted. "It's not a good compromise. Who knows what Him has planted inside you?" Blossom took a deep breath. "You're going to have to have an abortion."

"What?" Bubbles shrieked.

"Look, it's the best thing for all of us."

"No, it's not!"

"Bubbles, you're not in your right mind. Look, come stay with me for awhile, I'll set up the appointment, and then when it's done, you'll stay with me so I can keep an eye on you."

Bubbles was close to tears. "No."

"Bubbles."

"_No_."

"Bubbles!"

"No!" she screamed. "No, no, no, no, no! It's my baby too, and you can't just tell me to kill it and think it's all right!" Bubbles floated up into the air. "Good _bye_, Blossom."

"Bubbles, wait!"

But the blue puff was gone. Blossom growled in frustration. "Damn it!"

"I dunno, Blossom. That was kinda harsh."

"Harsh or not, someone has to do it."

Buttercup shrugged. "Look, I just don't think you should have opened up with the abortion card."

Blossom glared at her sister. "Look who's talking, Miss "You-Sure-Look-Gay.""

Buttercup scowled at her sister. "Whatever. Look, let's just go home."

* * *

Him conjured up yet another tissue. "There, there," He murmured for the hundredth time. "Shh… shh… don't cry…"

Bubbles accepted the tissue and dried her eyes but still kept crying. She clung onto the devil like a leech, sobbing and wailing, and to His credit, Him had been very patient for the last twenty minutes.

However…

"Shh… shh… alright, alright, that's enough. Come now, calm down."

Bubbles sniffled and dried her eyes. "I'm sorry." She whimpered. "It's just… I didn't think Blossom could be so mean."

"Now, now, that's not…" Him thought about it. "Well, it is true, but I'm sure she thinks it's all for the best. Which it isn't, you know."

"That's the problem!" Bubbles wailed. "She always thinks her way is the best way! She's always like that!"

"Oh, don't worry, she can't make you do anything you don't want to do."

Bubbled sniffed. "Really?"

"Really. I'll make sure of that."

Bubbles sat bolt upright. "You're not going to hurt her, are you?" she asked, every trace of sorrow in her voice replaced with shock and worry.

Him had to smile at her sudden change in mood. "No, I never said that. I'll just keep a closer eye on you, that's all. Make sure Blossom doesn't barge in and try to force you into something you don't want to do."

"You're not going to be like you were at the beginning, are you?" Bubbles asked uncomfortably.

"No, of course not! I promise."

Bubbles hugged Him closer. "Thanks."

Him squeezed her back. He held her like this for a moment, her arms wrapped around His body, and His wrapped around her shoulders. Then, tentatively, He kissed the top of her head. Bubbles looked at Him questioningly. Him merely shrugged and smiled down at her. Bubbles kissed His cheek, then leaned her head against His chest.

It was very warm.

* * *

They decided to go out for dinner, and found their way to a small diner on the other side of Townsville.

It was a charming place, sparsely decorated but for pictures of exotic and local places- the African safari alongside the Townsville Park, the pyramids next to a photo of the Mayor, and even a picture of the Powerpuff Girls that Bubbles remembered signing.

Him had, in order to prevent any panic His image might instill, disguised Himself as a tall, almost gangly man with thin limbs. He had kept His black hair and goatee, however, insisting that they were _quite_ attractive and there were _plenty_ of people who trimmed their beards in that fashion. Bubbles had pointed out that the only other person with a goatee like _that_ was Jafar. Upon some questioning by strangers, Him had been dubbed by Bubbles as her friend, Herbert.

Menus were brought, and the two idly discussed the options- Bubbles suggested fried mushrooms, Him suggested salad. Bubbles thought she might get lasagna while Him considered a lobster roll, which he decided against after a confusing but long lived burst of laughter from Bubbles. The final decision was a stir-fry for Bubbles and beef stew for Him.

"Him?" Bubbles asked timidly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Mmm-hmm." Him nodded, his mouth full of stew.

"Do you… Do you think, after the baby's born, and after you take him away… Do you think I could still see him? You know, like on visits or something?"

Him was silent for a moment. Then reaching across the table, he patted her hand. "Bubbles, I _promise_ that you certainly will see the baby after he's born."

"Really?" Bubbles squeaked, her face breaking out in utter joy.

"Really." Him leaned back into his seat.

He was being totally honest. She _would_ see the child- after a few years, when he was a little grown. Specifically, she would only see him again when the child was wreaking havoc on Townsville- when she'd have to fight him. In the earliest days when he was first forming this plan, Him had looked forward to seeing Bubbles's reaction to such an event- the mother forced to battle the child, possibly faced with having to kill it. He knew Bubbles would never be able to go so far, and the sheer amusement He would gain from watching her struggle had given Him happy little shivers down His back whenever the thought came up.

The shivers were not quite so happy this time.

Bubbles was happily eating, content now that her fears had been absolved. Him suddenly felt uncomfortable. The thought, once so exciting and joyous, now filled Him with a sickening sense of guilt. He stared glumly at His stew. He wasn't quite so hungry as He had been.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: Ta-dah! Here's an extra special long chapter for everyone, a personal record of fifteen pages.

Anyway, I'm going to backtrack for a bit and re-write chapter's four and five, meaning there's a high probability of the two becoming combined, but mostly because they weren't really up to snuff. No big, drastic, plot murdering changes just... hopefully better writing. So it may be a little bit before the story progresses. Unless I decide to update first, revise later. And this chapter will likely also be re-written, because I had many difficulties with it. Or that might have been the next chapter, I loose track... But seriously, when the quality here degrades I expect flames of hellish temperatures. It's the only way I learn. :P

* * *

Bubbles had been surprised when the tabloids came out.

No shocking, front page splashed with her and Him's face, screaming "DEVIL BABY!" No garish display of her shopping for maternity wear with "strange new boyfriend." No wild accusations of lustful nights on the town or whore stories explaining why she had been so camera shy of late.

Nothing.

Well, that wasn't quite true.

Oprah was cheating on Stedman and Brittany was a bad mother and Michael Jackson was a child molester and all the athletes were on steroids and Bubbles was pretty sure they had squeezed the Tokyo Lizard in there _somewhere_ but that surely wasn't more important then the new Top Ten Tricks to spice up your love life!

Bubbles suddenly remembered why she'd given up reading gossip. Sighing, she tossed the tabloid behind her and turned to her ModernART magazine.

"Bubbles! Did you hear?! Oprah's cheating on Stedman!"

"Really?" Bubbles asked in a half bored tone. Him actually enjoyed the gossip rags. She had to admit, she liked them too but it was very difficult to keep a healthy interest in anything that slandered you along with anyone else.

Him set down their breakfast- waffles (Bubbles now officially lived for waffle day. The two of them had agreed to eating equal amounts of sugar, and Him couldn't stand not having a lake of syrup on his waffles or pancakes.) - and slid into His seat across the table. Completely absorbed in the latest news on Art and Celebrities, the two of them ate silently.

When they were finished, Him banished the plates to wherever it was between dimensions they went. Bubbles wasn't sure- but they always came back cleaner than she could ever get them, and that was good enough for her.

"How are you feeling?" Him asked.

"A little woozy, but I'm getting used to it."

"Hmm." Him stood up and walked over to Bubbles. He placed a claw on her forehead, pursing His lips.

"Is something wrong?" Bubbles asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, it's just…" Him conjured up a book and started flipping through it. "When is morning sickness supposed to start?"

"In the second and third months. I already checked."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Him squinted at the pages, nodded, and closed the book. It vanished into a pink cloud and dissipated. "All right." He consented. "Morning sickness generally begins in the second or third month of pregnancy."

Bubbles stood up and stretched. This caused her shirt to lift upward, revealing her stomach. Him's eyes widened. "Bubbles!"

"What?" She glanced at him, confused. She still held her hands above her head, so Him could still see her stomach.

"Bubbles, you're showing."

"What?"

"_You're showing!!_"

Bubbles dropped her arms and rolled her shirt up. Her stomach was now visibly swollen with pregnancy. "Yeah," she said, mildly irritated with Him's sudden panic. "So what?"

"So what?!" Him conjured up His book again, and began rapidly flipping pages. "It's too early! It's far too early!"

"For what?"

"To be showing!" He stopped at a page and started reading aloud. "_It is usually sometime during the fourth month that a woman starts "showing". This means the stomach becomes slightly, but visibly, distended with the growth of the fetus. This may not be noticeable when the woman is fully clothed_." He snapped the book shut. "We need to see a doctor."

"Him, I think you're over-reACT-!"

Him grabbed Bubbles and the two of them immediately teleported away.

* * *

Poof!

Bubbles stumbled back a few steps, shaken from the sudden change of location. She immediately grabbed her mouth. Her eyes watered, and she turned and bolted for the bathroom. Him stood there, shocked, as the initial hysteria drained away from him, only to be replaced by a more subtle, freezing panic. _Shit._ He thought to Himself, smacking His face with His hand (Not a claw- somewhere as they were teleporting he had shifted back into his form as "Herbert".) . _Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit._

_That was stupid. Teleportation on an unstable body is dangerous! What if I damaged the baby? What if I damaged HER?! Damn it! Stupid, stupid…_

Ten minutes later, as the Evilest of Evil continued to berate Himself, Bubbles came shakily out of the bathroom. "Him?"

Him looked up. "Bubbles, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bubbles nodded. "The baby's fine too, I think."

"The wha-?"

"The baby!" Bubbles rolled her eyes, then looked up at Him with a mixture of surprise and joy. "You were really worried about me, weren't you?"

"What?"

"You were worried! Really, about me!"

"Of course." Him replied off-handedly. "You're carrying my son."

"Yeah." Bubbles still beamed at Him. Him couldn't help thinking how very naïve she seemed.

And yet…

"Come on, let's see the doctor."

"Did you make an appointment?"

"Mmm… no."

"Shouldn't we do that first?"

"My dear, I don't think we need to."

Dr. Memphis, who had performed the artificial insemination on Bubbles walked absently into the waiting room, staring at his clipboard. "Mr-"

Him quickly stepped in front of the doctor and covered his mouth. "Why, hello, doctor."

Dr. Memphis paled. "Fhm!" was the sound that came out.

"Yep! Now, we'd like to have a discussion with you." Him removed his hand.

"O-of course." The doctor stuttered, then beaconed Him and Bubbles to follow him.

He led them into a room and closed the door. "What's the problem?"

Him gestured to Bubbles. "Could you lift up your shirt, please?"

The doctor's eyes bulged what are you-?" Bubbles, however, obliged, exposing her swollen stomach. "Oh my."

"See? She's already showing signs of pregnancy! This is far to early!"

"I'm certain there's nothing wrong here. Perhaps she's just the kind to develop early."

"_I want you to check and make sure she's not sick or infected_!" Him hissed. "_NOW_!"

The doctor paled. It was obvious that the devil was irrational at best, and any idiot in Townsville could tell you not to mess with Him even on His good days.

"There is a test we can use to determine the baby's health. We just stick a needle into Bubble's stomach and extract some of the fluid from the womb-"

"What?!" Bubbles shrieked. "You're going to stick a needle in me?!"

"How do you think you got pregnant?" the doctor pointed out.

"Yeah, but it wasn't through my stomach!"

"That simply will not do." Him stated. "Isn't there something else, something quicker?"

The doctor nodded and sidled over to the puff and placed his stethoscope on her belly button. Her arms grew goosebumps at the touch of cold metal, but she didn't make any sound or motion of discomfort- she could tell that would only set Him off even further.

The doctor's brows furrowed. "May I perform an ultrasound?"

"Of course." Him said, and Bubbles nodded in agreement.

* * *

"Well?" Him asked impatiently. "What's wrong?"

The doctor stared at the image on the screen. The pulsating black-and-white picture was nearly indecipherable to both Him and Bubbles, but the doctor seemed to see something that escaped the two of them.

"It would appear that your child is… more fully developed than expected."

"What do you mean?" Bubbles asked, craning her neck to try and glimpse her child.

"I mean that, in two months' time, your child has obtained the physical maturity of one with twice as much time in the uterus."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"I don't know. It probably doesn't mean much of anything."

"Huh?"

"Bubbles- If I may call you that- you came into being at the physical age of five, correct?"

"Yeah."

"And, if I remember correctly, the monkey Mojo Jojo was "created" in much the same way, yes?"

"At exactly the same time. Why?"

"Hm… I think- and this is only a theory, mind you- that the Chemical X in your system is having a direct effect on your child as well. It is actually speeding along the pregnancy."

Him and Bubbles exchanged looks. "So… I'm not going to come to full term?" Bubbles whispered.

"Oh no, don't worry about that. Your baby will most likely be quite healthy- it might even inherit your powers!" the doctor chuckled. "But at the rate it's developing, it will likely only take four to five months before it's ready to come out, instead of the full nine."

"What does that have to do with Chemical X?" Him interrupted.

"I've read some of Professor Utonium's articles on the subject- The PowerPuff Girls and Mojo Jojo were common subjects in them, mind you- it's likely that Chemical X not only gives one super powers, but rapidly enhances early development. After all," he said, gesturing to Bubbles. "you and your sisters were fighting crime almost immediately after creation. Blossom was teaching herself Chinese, and Buttercup already fought with the strength of a martial artist."

"I see." Him tapped his chin again.

This was actually better than he'd hoped for. He hadn't expected the child to have the Powerpuffs' abilities, although now it seemed only obvious. The plan that he had placed on the backburner of his mind was now flaming up again, modifying itself to fit these new alterations.

The child would have not only the demonic powers of his father, but the scientific powers of his mother. That he would be related by blood to one of the Powerpuffs- and, even better, the most sentimental of the three, would likely hinder any attempts they'd make to fight him. Him grinned to Himself.

Then he looked over at Bubbles. She was talking excitedly with the doctor. Him felt a twinge in His stomach. Guilt again? No, no it couldn't be… he couldn't feel guilty… about… her. About… _betraying_…

Her.

It was all a game. It was the ultimate mind game. There was no room for guilt.

* * *

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

"Aren't you going to get that?"

Ring.

Ring.

"No."

Ring.

Ring.

"Will you _please_ answer the phone?"

Ring.

"No, it's probably Blossom, and I don't want to talk to her. Let the machine get it.

Ring.

Ri-

"_Hi, you've reached the answering machine of Bubbles Utonium_!" came the chipper, recorded voice of the blue puff. "_I'm not here now, so leave your name number, and favorite color at the sound of the beep_!"

"Favorite color?" Him looked through the wall window at Bubbles, smiling amusedly.

"I thought it would be interesting to know!" Bubbles replied defensively.

"…_So, look, I'll call you back later okay_? …_Pink_." Blossom's voice finished its message and the machine beeped out. Having missed most of it, Bubbles hit the "Play" button. She might not want to talk to Blossom, but she at least wanted to know if there was an emergency.

A computerized voice sounded. "One. Message. Message. One."

"_Bubbles? Bubbles, are you there?" _a sigh._ "Look I'm sorry Bubbles, I really am. I know this is going to sound weird, but remember that Bible I got you? Well, there's an interesting chapter in it that I think you should read. It's called "II Thessalonians". I'm hoping it'll help you forgive me. So, look, I'll call you back later okay? …Pink._" Blossom's voice phased out, and the machine finished it off with "End. Of. Messages."

Bubbles continued to sit on her couch. It had only been a few days, but her stomach was continuing to swell. You could almost see it with her clothing on, now. Despite Doctor Memphis's explanation, it was still strange to think that the child within her was growing so quickly. The child that Blossom had wanted aborted. Even now, she still couldn't understand why. Then again, it was probably just because she was surrogating for an established villain. When it came to crime, Blossom had a tendency to be unswayable, especially after the golf clubs incident. Her reaction just might have been out of fear, and worry. Surely she didn't mean it. _Surely_ not. Deciding to give her sister the benefit of the doubt, she stood up.

Him was busy cooking, and so he didn't question her as she made her way to her room. He had been much more trusting of late- the apartment wasn't nearly so tense as it was.

Stopping by her bookshelf, she slowly lowered herself so that she could see the lowest shelf. She traced the bindings with her hand, stopping when she reached her Bible, then pulled it out. Slowly, she rose back up, then flipped to the place where II Thessalonians was supposed to be.

Strangely enough, it wasn't. She traced the rough space between the end of I Thessalonians and the beginning of Timothy. Someone had ripped the flimsy pages out. Her brows furrowed. She had been certain that the pages had been there before… Then again, she had gotten it from the Hotel. It was very likely that someone staying there had decided to take the pages with them, instead of the whole book.

Instead of placing the book back in its place, she placed it onto a higher shelf. She'd take care of it later. She then glanced at the volume Blossom had given her.

It had been sitting untouched on her bedside table since she had received it. She flipped it open- this one still had all its pages. She sat herself on her bed, and curled up against the pillows.

* * *

Him slowly pulled the tray out from the oven. He inhaled deeply- yes, it smelled good, and yes, it looked good. There was only the test of taste left. Him grinned to Himself. Outside of His more villainous pursuits, there was little He enjoyed more than baking.

He heard a slam from Bubbles's room which signaled that the puff had rejoined Him in the wider space that was the living room/ kitchen. "Bubbles!" Him cried ecstatically. "I want you to-" He stopped when he saw Bubbles. She was shaking, tearing up, and obviously furious. "Bubbles?" He said hesitantly. "Is something wrong?"

"You lied to me!" she screamed. Several objects around the apartment jittered in their places.

"What?" Him still stood, holding his latest culinary creation, completely baffled as to what the puff was going on about.

"You. LIED. To. Me. You. _USED_. Me. You're. _Still_. Using. Me!" she continued to scream, each word coming our punctuated and stressed.

"Bubbles, I don't understand-"

"This!" she screamed, waving a book around in the air. "I was reading through _this_!"

Him paled. Among the excitement of impending birth, he had completely forgotten to "doctor" the copy of the bible that Blossom had given her sister. "Bubbles, please, I-"

"No!" Bubbles screamed again. "I can't believe I even listened to you, and you know WHAT?!" she panted for breath. "I'm keeping the baby! And you'll never see him, you hear me? Ever! Never ever ever!"

Him's face twisted. The plate he held clattered to the floor as he suddenly appeared directly before Bubbles. "_Don't you dare_." He hissed. "_You can't take him away from me_."

Bubbles immediately gave a swift uppercut to His jaw. Then, without pause, Bubbles shot out of the open window, leaving Him behind in the apartment.

There was only one place Bubbles could think of to go. It was one of the safest places in the world, especially from Him, and she knew she would always be allowed in. She was sure of it.

The window was open, so she flew strait through it. "Buttercup?" Bubbles whimpered, "Buttercup are you there?"

There was a crash, a subsequent "Ow!" and Buttercup appeared. "What?" she snapped, obviously annoyed.

"Buttercup…" Bubbles's eyes began to water. "Buttercup, could I please stay here for awhile?"

"Huh? Why-" the green puff's face suddenly looked shocked. "What did He do Bubbles?" she said, her voice dripping venom. "Did He hurt you? I'll kill Him if He-"

"I did nothing of the sort." Said an effeminate, offended voice.

Bubbles squeaked and Buttercup moved to block her sister as Him appeared in the room with them.

"Him, you'd better get your scrawny red butt out of here now, or I'll-"

"_Now you just wait_!" Him shot back, "_You know damn well I wouldn't come here without good reason_!"

"Your reasons are never good."

"_Quiet_!" He shrieked. "_Your sister is trying to take away my child! That's kidnapping! I have my rights_!"

"Yeah, well so does she!" Buttercup barked. "She's the mom, so she can damn well keep the brat! Now, I want you out of my house right now," her eyes narrowed into a glare. "Or else."

Him glared back. Buttercup smirked. Finally, with a look of despair, the devil vanished.

Bubbles grabbed her sister from behind, pulling her into a fierce hug. "Thank you!" Bubbles sobbed. "Thank you, thank you, thank-"

"Get offa me!" Buttercup pulled herself out of her sister's embrace. "Sheesh, you'd think I just saved your life."

"You just did."

"No I didn't. Him wouldn't have killed you anyway."

"Still…"

Buttercup sighed. She rubbed her eyes. "Bubbles, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Huh?"

"Keeping the baby, are you _nuts_? You know Blossom will never stand for it, and besides, just a few days ago you insisted you were giving it up. What gives?"

"What else should I do with him? I can't hand him over to Him!"

"Why not?"

"Because… Because…" Bubbles's lower lip began to tremble, and she buried her head in her hands.

Buttercup gave an exasperated sigh. "C'mon, don't cry… Look, I'm going to call Blossom. Just, please don't _cry_…"

* * *

"_Hello?"_

"_Ms. Bellum?"_

"_Bubbles! Hello, how are you."_

"_Um, I'm fine. Hey, I have a question for you."_

"_Of course."_

"_Well, I was reading the Bible, and there's this one chapter, it's called "II Thessalonians". Do you know it?"_

"_I do."_

"_Well, do you think you could explain it to me?"_

"_Of course. The II Thessalonians depicts what most people consider to be the "Anti-Christ", and his influence on the earth before the Apocalypse."_

"_The Anti-Christ?"_

"_You don't know who that is?" Ms. Bellum's voice sounded surprised._

"_No, the professor wasn't very religious."_

"_I see. Well, the Anti-Christ is supposed to be the son of a demon, although now his father is generally considered to be Satan. His coming in most modern Christian mythologies signals the end of the world."_

"_I'm sorry, the son of who?"_

"_Satan."_

"_And… Satan is?" Bubbles's voice sounded very small, as though she knew the answer, but was praying that she was wrong._

"_Do you remember Him?"_

* * *

The three puffs sat in silence as Bubbles shakily finished her story. In short, when faced with something she didn't understand, she had called the most intelligent person she knew outside of her sister-Ms. Bellum. Buttercup stared at her sister, her eyes wide and shocked. Blossom, however, seemed less surprised. She put her arm around her sister. "Bubbles, I'm sorry, but do you understand now?"

"Understand what?" Bubbled said, wiping her eyes.

"Why you need to have an abortion?"

Bubbles immediately pushed her sister away, causing the pink puff to topple off the couch. "No!" Bubbles replied. "I'm not- I can't-!"

"Bubbles!" Blossom snapped, getting to her feet with an exasperated sigh. "You can't have this baby! Can't you _see_? Don't you _understand?!_ If that baby lives, you'll be bringing about the end of the world!"

"But I ca-a-an't! Please! I can't, I can't…" Bubbles burst into a fresh batch of tears, while Buttercup sighed in annoyance and Blossom held her head.

"Look, Bubbles." Buttercup said. "I'm going to say this once. I don't care. I don't care if you have a little baby Satan or have it chopped up and thrown away, okay? But you've gotta toughen up about this. Grow a backbone."

Bubbles glared at her sister. "I _do_ have a backbone!"

"Prove it!"

"Fine!" The two continued to glare. "I'm keeping the baby."

Buttercup and Blossom sighed, and Bubbles leapt to her own defense. "Maybe I can change him! Maybe I can make sure that he doesn't grow up to be the Anti-Christ! I mean, he doesn't have to be. He can choose, can't he? Can't he?"

Blossom crossed her arms as though in thought. "Fine." She said. "I won't force you to have an abortion. But I don't think it's safe for you to go home." Bubbles nodded in agreement. "Buttercup, I want Bubbles to stay here with you."

"Me? Why me?!"

"You're the one who beat Him the first time, and I think He's scared of you." She pointed out.

"With good reason." Buttercup puffed out her chest.

"Yeah." A thought struck Blossom. "You know, you never did tell us what that bet was between you and Him."

"Yeah I did. Sheesh, I was bragging about it for like, a month."

"Yeah, but all you ever said was "I beat Him!" over and over again."

"Really?" Buttercup rubbed her chin. "Well, it's no big deal, really. I just guessed His name, is all."

Blosoom looked floored. "That's _it_? Him just stopped attacking Townsville because you guessed His _name_?"

"Yeah, apparently it was some sort of Rumplestiltskin deal."

"Maybe you should tell us. You know, just in case. I remember reading that some old cultures believed you could control a demon with its name."

"No."

Blossom and Buttercup looked at Bubbles. She was still sitting on the couch, staring at her knees. "I don't want to know Him's name."

"Bubbles-"

The blue puff clapped her hands over her ears and started chanting "La la la la la…."

"Bubbles!" Blossom wrenched her sister's arms away from her ears. "Stop acting childish. You'll be much safer if you know His name."

"I don't want to know it! I don't even want him-" Bubbles gestured to her stomach. "To ever know it. I'm going to keep it a secret."

"And what did you plan to tell him when he got older, huh? What about when he comes home one day, and asks 'Who's my father?' What do you plane to tell him?!"

"I'll tell him I don't know." Bubbles replied flatly. "Because his father was a sperm donor."

The two puffs stared at each other. Finally, tired of the whole argument, Blossom caved in. "Fine." She said. "Whatever you want." She then glanced at Buttercup. "Just stay here. No matter what happens, we'll take care of you."

"Really?"

"Really. Look, is there anything you need at your apartment? I'll go get it for you."

Bubbles thought about it for a moment. "Do you think you could go get Octi for me?"

Blossom was surprised. "Octi? You still have that old thing?"

"Of course. He should be on my bed- or under it."

* * *

There had been a lot of screaming when Him returned to Hell. The screaming was followed by breaking, which was followed by choking, defeated sobs, ending in a long, dragging silence.

Him draped himself over His throne, drained and depressed. Everything He had worked for, everything He had planned had come crashing around his pointy ears. Thanks to a mere two pages he had forgotten to destroy, he had lost everything.

There was nothing He could do. Nothing. Bubbles was sure to stay protected by her sisters, and as long as Buttercup still held sway over Him, He couldn't get within speaking range of the blue puff. Her sisters would keep a close eye on her from now on, and who knew what would happen when the child was born.

Blossom obviously wanted the child aborted. Him clenched His teeth. He was certain- He hoped that Bubbles wouldn't let anything happen to it. She couldn't. She wouldn't.

Him got to His feet. He'd make sure of it. He'd make sure that nothing happened to the child. Even if Bubbles was kept under lock and key, there were ways of making sure she and her son were safe.

* * *

Bubbles dumped the last of the dirt into the dustbin and leaned against the broom. Everything was neat and tidy. One thing about her sister was that she spent very little time cleaning, and her apartment had been trashed. So, as something of a thank-you for letting her stay, Bubbles had taken it upon herself to clean the whole apartment from top to bottom. It had felt a little odd at first- after all, for the past two months Him had taken care of all the housework, and Bubbles was a little out of practice. But, by the time Blossom returned to Buttercup's home, the blue puff had managed to clean the kitchen and the living room.

"What took you so long?" Bubbles asked as Blossom handed her the stuffed octopus.

"Well, I couldn't find him." Blossom admitted.

"He wasn't where I told you?" Bubbles asked, surprised.

"No, actually, he was under a cushion on the couch."

"He was?" Bubbles thought about it. Then, sheepishly, she said "Oh yeah. I forgot. I was letting Him…" suddenly deflated, Bubbles lowered her head and whispered. "… borrow it."

Blossom shifted uncomfortably, then placed her hand on her sister's shoulders. "Bubbles, what you did was really stupid, but the best you can do is just try to forget about Him, okay?"

"How can I?" Bubbles sniffed. "I'm carrying His _child_."

"I'll figure something out. I promise."

Soon, Blossom bid her sister farewell and left for the Mayor's office. Buttercup was busy in the bathroom, trying to fix the sink. Bubbles had tried to help earlier, but was inept at best, and so had been banished to the living room where she had begun to clean. Bubbles sighed and sank into the couch. Sadly, she inspected her childhood toy.

Octi had been worn and patched a few times over the years. One of his tentacles was torn and a small bit of fluff was hanging out. Bubbles was certain that her sister didn't have anything remotely resembling a needle or thread, and so resolve to just be careful with it until she could get some.

Without an activity to keep her mind occupied, Bubbles began to feel lonely. She wished for a moment that her octopus would speak to her- say something, anything.

He had once. She remembered it now- she had almost forgotten it entirely. The first time she had actually encountered Him was through the means of this small, purple sea critter. He had convinced her that it was Octi speaking to her, when in fact, it was only Him, playing His games with her and her sisters. _How could I have thought He'd changed?_ She thought to herself. _Him has always lied. He lied when He pretended to be Octi. He lied when He pretended to be a butterfly and tricked me with the magic chalk. He lied when He pretended to be lonely. I believed Him every time. _

Bubbles set her octopus aside and leaned her elbows on her knees, propping her head up with her hands. How long could she keep this up? Inside of her was a lifetime of commitment, a lifetime of worrying, hiding and protecting. She hadn't thought this through. She hadn't thought this through at _all_. How long could she hide the child from Him? How long could she hide behind Buttercup's knowledge? How long before the child was born? How long before she was gone and there was no one to protect him from Him anymore? How long? How long?

How long?

She didn't want to be alone in this. She had her sisters, yes, but it was too hard. Just too hard. Rolling onto her side, she took the octopus back into her arms and held it close to her. It wasn't Him, but it would have to do.

* * *

Author's Notes: (continued...): Okay, I have one last thing to put down before I send you along your merry way. Special thanks goes to Dracori, who allowed me to kidnap the idea that Chemical X speeds up the aging process, which she elaborates on in "Through the Eyes of an Outcast", and I borrowed because halfway through chapter three, I realized I had no idea how to drag this out for nine months.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes: For those who might care, my wisdom tooth came out without a hitch. Pain pills aren't all they're cracked up to be though. I'll admit I was slightly disappointed. Anyway, this chapter is the unique result of Pat Benatar followed by How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men. In that order. I hope to God it's not too much of a let-down, 'cause I've re-written it three times and I'm still iffy about it.

* * *

"How's Bubbles doing?"

"She's always _cleaning_!" Buttercup gestured wildly around her apartment. "And when she's not cleaning, she's sleeping!"

"She's probably just tired."

"Well, I know _that_!" Buttercup growled. "But it's like she's some sort of zombie or something!"

"It's all Him's fault, anyway." Blossom leaned into her chair and sipped at her glass. "He's always had it out for Bubbles- Remember the chalk thing? Who knows what He did to get her pregnant."

"I dunno. But I'm beginning to think you might have been right about the abortion thing. It started kicking this one time…" Buttercup allowed the thought to trail off and folded her arms. "Maybe we should get someone to do it while she's asleep."

Blossom shook her head. "It's too late for that now. Most doctors won't even perform an abortion after the fourth month."

"But Bubbles is in the fourth month!" Buttercup insisted.

"But the baby's more developed than that. She's practically ready to pop! _No one_ will abort the baby at this stage."

"So what do we do?"

Blossom put down her cup and rubbed her eyes. "I don't know. I just don't know."

* * *

It was coming out. Or, more appropriately, it was clawing out. Bubbles clutched her stomach, screaming. Her skin stretched and warped as the limbs reached out and snapped back in. They stretched further and further each time. Her insides were tearing.

"Blossom! Buttercup!" She looked around her feverishly. No response. "Buttercup!" she tried again. "Blossom! Please! Help me!" She could feel it cutting at the inside of her stomach. She stumbled to the bedroom door, and tried desperately to open it. Her eyes suddenly became blurry and defocused, and each time she reached for the handle it seemed to slip away. She began to panic. "Buttercup!" she screamed. Silence. One limb nearly broke through. "Him!" she finally tried, desperate. "Him! Hi-"

"Shh…" came the eerie, echoing voice. "Calm down, calm down."

Two claws came lightly around her shoulder. She spun around, still clutching her writhing belly. "Him," she whimpered. "Help me!"

Him bent down and touched a claw lightly to her stomach. He began to rub in a circular motion, and the baby calmed. "What do you know." Him smiled. "The baby was kicking."

"Him." Bubbles leaned, shaking, against the devil. "I was so scared, so… so scared."

Him wrapped His arms around her. "Bubbles, Bubbles… You didn't think I'd leave you?" She shook her head, her face still buried in His chest. "It's all right."

She didn't want to let go. Him was warm and safe and there was no one else around. But… Bubbles lurched back. "No." she muttered to herself, looking away.

"What?" Him watched her, dismayed.

"No!" Bubbles yelled. "I can't!"

Him fell to His knees. "Bubbles, please!" He wailed. "You can't leave me like this! Not both of you!" He extended His arms toward her, pleadingly. "Please?"

Bubbles shuffled backwards and stared at the floor. A single line floated into her mind. "People will think we're in love." She murmured.

Him blinked. "Love?"

Bubbles nodded absently, then looked out the window. "I want to wake up now."

* * *

Bubbles's eyes opened slowly. She blinked once, and sat up. Touching her stomach, she realized that she felt no pain- the baby _hadn't_ tried to claw its way out of her in the night. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes. She had been so tired lately- it was more than just natural fatigue. Every time she closed her eyes, Him was there, begging, pleading, coaxing, sometimes even threatening, trying to get her to come back. Every time, during every period of sleep, and it was far from restful, which only caused her to sleep more and more. It occurred to her that she might go mad from it all.

Bubbles got to her feet and made her way toward the kitchen. After some prodding from Blossom, and a reluctant agreement from Buttercup, Bubbles had begun sleeping in her sister's room. Buttercup had taken to sleeping in the living room on the couch, which was- at first- met with a great deal of scorn and complaining. This didn't last long though, as Buttercup discovered the magical world of Late Night TV. Bubbles would wake up in the morning to find her sister sprawled across the cushions, the television flashing and the volume turned down to the lowest it could go without being muted.

She hadn't told her sister about the dreams. At times, her hair would stand on end when she recalled Buttercup's last angry encounter with Him, the night He burned down nearly every bar in Townsville. Even if He was using her, even if He wracked her brain in the night, He didn't deserve that again. And this time, she wouldn't be around to nurse Him back to health. And despite the horror she felt at being used once again by the Evilest of Evil, it could in no way surmount the horror she knew she would feel if He were killed.

She suddenly froze, and sucked in air through her teeth. She felt some of her insides contract, sending pain shooting through her. Breathing out, she slowly made her way back to her bed.

It wasn't a real contraction- Blossom had done her research, and Bubbles had been feeling what were called "Braxton Hicks Contractions"- in other words, mild, but false contractions that prepared the uterus for birth. At least, that's what Blossom had told her- she wasn't quite sure what a "uterus" was though- she'd slept through health class- but she had understood "false" and "mild", and resolved not to panic until her water broke.

Blossom had, however, prescribed a simple remedy for the pain. Setting her glass on the nightstand, Bubbles lay back down on the bed, and they slowly subsided. Sighing, she ran her hand through her hair. She didn't want to sleep- she wasn't ready to face Him again, and she didn't know what to do with her waking time. She was too tired to clean, and Buttercup didn't have a television in her room, and she didn't feel like confronting her sister right now.

She felt another "contraction" shake through her body, and rolled onto her side. Burying her face in the crook of her elbow, she began to breath meditatively.

A few minutes later, she felt herself being lifted up. Her eyes snapped open and she looked up into the nervous, but focused, face of Him.

"You again!" she yelped. "Go away!"

"No."

Bubbles swiftly gave an uppercut to Him's jaw. Instinctively, He dropped Bubbles and grabbed His face. Before falling to the floor Bubbles took off, flying parallel to the floor before shooting up and out the open window.

Him immediately followed, and the two streaked into the sky. Under normal circumstances, Bubbles would have had no trouble in outrunning Him. But the added weight of their child slowed her just enough for Him to cover her head start. Him stretched His arms forward, lengthening them until one claw snapped around Bubbles's ankle. She was jerked back violently, so that she gasped for air. With only the barest lapse of time between the two actions, Him pulled Himself close behind the blue puff, immobilizing her.

"Him! Let me go!" Bubbles struggled, trying to loosen Him's grip on her.

"Sorry, but I can't do that."

Bubbles glanced desperately around for something that would help. She spotted a flock of pigeons flying below them. "Cooo! Coooo!" Bubbles began shrieking. Him was busy opening a portal, so was completely distracted when the first gray bird swooped in and began pecking at Him. This time, however, instead of releasing Bubbles completely, Him began swiping at them with His claw. "_Get lost_!" He growled, before spitting rapid pink lasers at them.

"Stop it!" Bubbles shrieked, horrified as one bird was caught in His aim and went spiraling to the streets below.

Surprisingly, Him did. Some birds continued to bravely attack the Evilest of Evil, although most decided to get out of the range of fire. No longer using His lasers, Him returned to swiping the air. Through the feathers and beaks, Him could see pink and green lines streaking toward Him.

Cursing, He wrapped His free arm around Bubbles, and the two vanished.

* * *

"Take me back!" Bubbles screamed. "Take me back!"

Him released the blue puff, who immediately shot across the room and pressed her back to the wall. "No." He replied firmly.

Bubbles began to breath heavily. "You have to take me back- You have-!"

Another "contraction" wracked her body again, causing her to double over. This one was stronger than the last.

Him was immediately by her side. "Is something wrong? Take deep breaths."

Bubbles brushed Him off. "I'm –huh- fine." She said.

"Bubbles-"

"Take-huh, huh- me back."

"I can't, Bubbles."

"Why not?!" She yelled, her head snapping up to glare at Him.

Him carefully grasped her shoulders, and looked her squarely in the eyes. "I can't risk losing you." He said pointedly.

"Losing me?" she replied.

"Or the baby." Him quickly added.

Bubbles gave Him a suspicious look. "Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"_Because_, Bubbles."

"_Why_?"

"Because!" Him replied, releasing her shoulders and gesturing wildly with His claws. "Because there's too much at stake! I might not get the chance to have another child!"

"What about the RowdyRuff Boys?" Bubbles asked stubbornly.

"Hah. They're hardly my children. They don't even acknowledge me as their father." Him replied huffily.

Another pause, marked only by Bubbles's labored breathing as another contraction ripped through her. Her leg felt wet. She looked down. "Oh, God…"

"What? What's wrong?"

"Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh-"

"_BUBBLES_!" Him screeched, nearly on the verge of panic.

"My water just broke."

Him stared dumbly for a moment. He then snapped back into awareness. While He had built up an immunity to teleportation, Bubbles had not. Him watched as the blue puff felt another contraction and hissed in pain. He carefully led her to the couch and helped her sit down. Once seated, she slapped His claw away. "Don't touch me."

Him gave her a pained look. "Bubbles-"

"Don't talk to me."

Him was quiet. Bubbles arched her back and hissed again. Him reached toward her, then lowered His claw back to His lap. Sighing, He crouched over, and gripped His hair in His claws.

"Why did you want a child?"

Him looked slowly up at her. "I told you already."

"You were lying. I want the truth."

Him stared at his pincers. "I had thought… that if I couldn't destroy Townsville, he might. Might even destroy…"

"Me and my sisters?" She looked at Him through slitted eyes.

"Yes." Him said weakly.

Bubbled exhaled heavily. "Why?"

"I don't know." Him shook His head and grabbed His hair again. "I don't know anymore."

Bubbles nodded to herself. She watched Him for a moment. Then, stretching out a tentative hand, she touched His shoulder. She could feel His muscles tense. "I forgive you." She said quietly.

"What?"

"I-" Bubbles hissed again. "-forgive you."

Him smiled. "Thank you." It was mysteriously relieving. Forgiveness. How very strange.

Bubbles smiled, then moaned again.

"What's wrong? Is something wrong?" Him immediately reverted back to His worried stage.

"They're just contractions." She paused, thinking. "Can you deliver a baby?"

"No, I can't." Him realized. "What should I do?"

"Blossom probably knows."

"_Blossom_?!"

"Yes! Go get Blossom!"

Him hesitated. Blossom was the last person he wanted to get. Dr. Memphis might know, but he would likely be out of practice. He didn't dare move her to a hospital- Teleportation at this stage might kill the infant, and Him was terrified of moving the blue puff at all. Blossom might be the only chance they had. "I'll be right back."

Then He was gone.

* * *

Blossom and Buttercup stood at the entrance to Hell. They had been there once or twice as children, but not in recent times, so it had been difficult to find it again. "Are you ready?" Blossom asked. Her eyes were set and angry. Him had taken her sister moments before she could reach them. She wasn't going to leave her here of all places.

Buttercup pounded a fist into her open palm. "Don't even try to stop me."


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes: Well, here we go. There's about one more chapter after this one. I did some re-writing when I posted the new chapter six- basically I extended chapter five and condensed what was important of chapter four into it, then deleted the original chapter four and replaced old chapter five with new chapter five, and apparently that just causes reviewing issues for new chapter six, which, all in all, is my loss. So here's chapter seven. Written at my peak writing time, which is like, 11pm-2am (Inconvenient for everyone!) so I think it's decent.

For anyone who didn't catch it, I threw a "Silence of the Lambs" reference in the last chapter. After I posted it, I realized "Ha, that makes no sense with the story." So I threw _more_ "Silence of the Lambs" junk in here as a semi-clever way to "tie-it-all-in." Now, we all know what happens in this chapter, so I'm just gonna shut up now and go to sleep.

* * *

_When did it happen?_

It was a question that rattled around in Him's mind, bouncing to and fro from subconscious to His waking thoughts.

_When did it happen?_

Somewhere, in the months that passed, He had stopped worrying about Bubbles because of the baby. Somewhere, sometime, He had begun to worry about Bubbles- because she was Bubbles. The child linked their blood. Was that all? The worry of the father for the mother?

It might have been that one night. That one night, a few weeks before their stay together collapsed, when Him, against His better judgment, watched a movie with her. "_The Silence Of The Lambs_." It was a film Him enjoyed- He saw a small bit of Himself in the calculating manner of Hannibal Lector, the mind games he played with friend and foe alike. The bloody, inevitable results at the end of such games.

Bubbles had no such feelings. She had been visibly sickened at the actions of the Doctor, and equally terrified by Buffalo Bill. She had clutched onto Him, eyes wide with terror. She made Him think of Clarice's lamb, completely able to save herself from danger, but frozen by fear.

"Bubbles, you're not scared of Dr. Lector, are you?" Him asked teasingly.

"A little." Bubbles admitted. "But I'm sad for him too."

"Sad?"

"Well, yeah." Bubbles replied. "He's always alone, and he has no friends."

"He probably ate them all."

"Yeah." Bubbles lay her head on His shoulder and closed her eyes sleepily. "But it's still sad."

It might have been then. When she pitied Hannibal Lector, and how eerily He could imagine Himself as the one she was talking about. Not that innocence or naivety won Him so easily over. It was her acceptance of something so completely opposite to herself that He couldn't understand.

The things He didn't understand fascinated Him most. And, only steps behind her brother Fascination, was…

_Damn_, He thought. _Where is she_?

He had tried alternatives first. But Dr. Memphis was not in his office, and had obviously done some research of his own- wards from various religions, ranging from Christian crosses to Wiccan charms had been placed about his home to prevent the entry of "evil spirits", and they worked well.

He had considered asking Mojo Jojo, but ruled it out. The last thing He needed was the egomaniacal monkey's mockery in this new crisis. It needed to be someone close, someone who wouldn't spread the story around the gossip magazines, and someone who wasn't as semi-incompetent as the Professor. That left the Pink Puff as the last alternative Him could think of.

Blossom wasn't anywhere He looked. Not in her apartment, or Buttercup's, or the library, or the park, or anywhere above Townsville, or anywhere below Townsville, or seemingly anywhere in the vicinity of her beloved city.

He teleported to the Mayor's office. There was one way you could always reach a Powerpuff, and one puff would always find another. He picked up the Hotline.

He could hear it ringing on the other end. Him stared at the phone, still in the ridiculous form of a child's toy, albeit a rather worn and used one. He allowed the phone to ring a few moments longer, then slammed the receiver down in frustration.

Him teleported back to His home. "Bubbles-"

"Him!" Bubbles cried, visibly panicked. She had repositioned herself so that she was lying on the couch. "They're here!"

"Who?" Him asked.

"My sisters!"

"What?"

Bubbles tried to sit up, but Him gently pushed her back down. "Take it easy." He said nervously. "How do you know they're here?"

"I can hear them." Bubbles hissed in pain. "They're fighting something."

Him placed a claw on her forehead, which was covered in a thin film of sweat. The contractions were coming quickly. The whole labor period seemed to be coming at warp speed- hours of work and pain condensed into what Him could only assume to be a couple hundred minutes to come. He brushed some of her hair away from her forehead. "Do you need anything?" He asked concernedly.

"Could I have some water?"

Him immediately conjured a small table and a glass of water. Then, almost without thinking, He bent over and kissed her forehead. "I'll be back." And then He was gone.

Bubbles stared at the empty space where he had been, then smiling to herself, lifted the glass of water and sipped it. She was right.

* * *

"GAHAH!" Buttercup smashed through some ickle beastie's exoskeleton, only to be leapt upon by another. She smashed through this one as well, just as she had the other two hundred and thirty-seven. Two hundred and thirty eight. Two hundred and thirty-

"Don't these things ever END?" Buttercup growled, bringing her personal casualty count to a round, even number.

"We knew this wouldn't be easy, Buttercup." Blossom replied, smashing her way through her own body count, which, although significantly lower than Buttercup's, was nothing to sneeze at.

"Grr." Buttercup immediately blew a hole through one beast's abdomen with her laser beams. "Yeah, but we never had this much trouble with Him's home before."

"Him's got more to lose, this time." Blossom froze a good three of the scorpion-esque guard-things with her ice breath.

"Like His life?" Buttercup growled as one leapt onto her back.

Blossom smirked. "Something like that."

"Sorry to break up the party, girls, but I need to borrow one of you."

Buttercup was the first to respond. "Hey-!"

In that time, Him had grabbed Blossom's wrist in his claws and teleported away with her. There was a brief pause in the fighting as the demonic guard beasts and the Green Puff blinked in the sudden appearance and disappearance of the Evilest of Evil. Then, with a stunted, slow shaking off of their mutual shock, the demons all turned to face the single remaining puff, who clenched her eyes in typical battle-ready form.

"All right." She muttered, grabbing the demon on her back and throwing it back into the horde of its own kind. "Bring it!"

* * *

Blossom was about to be sick. Teleportation was _not_ as interesting as she had theorized. "Blossom!"

The Pink Puff shook off her oncoming nausea to face her sister, who still lay on the couch. Him stood behind her, leaning over the couch back, watching Blossom warily. "Bubbles-" Blossom began.

"I'm glad you're here, Blossom." Bubbles smiled.

Blossom had priorities; Evil first, family and consequences second. However, Him wasn't acting particularly evil at the moment. In fact, He was acting, well, worried. There was a time and place for priorities- and a time and place for their shift.

"Bubbles, how far apart are your contractions?"

"I don't know."

"Guess."

"Maybe," Bubbles sighed. "Maybe five minutes?"

"Five minutes?" Blossom immediately ran the information through her head. "Him."

"Yes?"

"Can you make this into something more flat? Like a bed, perhaps?"

"Of course." Him replied. "But how-"

"Just mold it around her, I mean, so we don't have to move her."

Him nodded. Snapping His claws like castanets, the couch slowly and deliberately folded and stretched itself around the laboring puff, carefully shifting itself so that Bubbles was placed in the center of a plain, flat bed without a head or footrest. "How's that?"

"Great. Bubbles, I need you to arch your legs up, okay?"

Bubbles obliged, bending her knees so that they formed twin triangles when viewed sideways. "Like this?"

Blossom's brows furrowed. "Not quite. Him, can you raise part of the bed up to about here?" Blossom held her hands about ten inches above Bubbles's feet.

Two square lumps rose up beneath the Blue Puff's feet, causing her to squeak in shock. Blossom, however, nodded as though in agreement with something. "Okay. Now, Bubbles, brace your feet against those." As her sister followed her instructions, Blossom turned to Him. "All right, Him." She said authoritatively. "I want you to take Bubbles's hand. Bubbles, when you feel a contraction, feel free to squeeze Him's hand. It'll help with the pain."

Bubbles nodded, although her sister couldn't see the motion behind the Blue Puff's stomach and legs. Swallowing nervously, Blossom peered between her sister's legs. "Hey, Him?"

"Yes?"

"How sanitary is this bed?"

Him was indignant. "It's _very_ sanitary, thank you very much."

"Well, do you know any sanitizing spells?"

"Of course." And, predicting Blossom's next command, Him flicked His claw. The bed glowed red for a moment, then faded.

Almost immediately after the spell faded, Bubbles felt another contraction. Taking her sister's advice she squeezed Him's claw. The devil's eyes bulged out of His face, and it took all of His self-control not to twist away from her super powered grip. It didn't, however, stop Him from letting out a brief, impassioned cry of pain. "Quiet!" Blossom snapped. Her short-lived instant of nervousness had vanished from her face, leaving in its wake the familiar image of confidence.

Him glared at the bow that bobbed behind Bubble's stomach, then resigned Himself to a few seconds of sulking as He inspected His now cracked claw.

"I'm sorry." Bubbles whispered, her eyes beginning to water- whether from sympathy or pain, Him couldn't be sure.

Him shook His head. "I'm fine, just a little… surprised."

Bubbles afforded Him a wobbly smile, before clamping back down on His claw and squashing her eyes shut. Him bit His lips shut, trying desperately not to yelp this time. Surely, _surely_ having your claw crushed to a fine powder was comparable pain to giving birth. And if Bubbles was strong enough to keep from screaming, then surely He was as well.

"Bubbles, in a little while, it's going to start getting really painful." Blossom cut in. "There are some breathing exercises I want you to practice. Him, I want you to practice them with her. When the baby starts coming out, I'll need you to coach Bubbles while I deliver it." Blossom waited for the two of them to indicate that they understood. "It's very simple; I want to breathe through your mouth. For now, do it slowly, like this." Blossom demonstrated, making soft "Hwa-hoo" noises as she did so. "But when the contractions get stronger and longer, feel free to do it a lot faster. Focus entirely on your breathing."

Bubbles squeezed Him's hand. "Hah… hah-!" she gasped.

"In and out, Bubbles." Blossom instructed. "In, and out."

Bubbles took deep shuddering breaths as Blossom continued her mantra of in and out. As Bubbles slowly loosened her grip on Him's claw (and Him unscrewed His eyes from their pained scrunching), Blossom commanded the devil to take over the coaching. "Try to relax, Bubbles." Was the last of the commands Blossom would give before Bubbles was wracked by another contraction; they were speeding up.

"Nngg…hah, hah, hah-"

"It's crowning! I see the head! Now push, Bubbles! Push!"

"Nga-HAAAAAH!" Bubbles began screaming. Blossom was shielded from the sonic blast by simply being lower than the sound. Him, however, was not so lucky.

The solid wall of sound smashed into Him at point-blank range, and if it weren't for the death grip Bubbles had on His claw, the devil would have been thrown back against the wall. As it was, Him was locked into position and being brutally pounded upon.

Neither puff nor demon could accurately measure the time that passed. Bubbles's Sonic Screams were punctuated by quick, merciful bouts of panting, which were cut short by another stretch of screaming. Somewhere beneath the noise, Blossom was still coaching, telling Bubbles to push, shouting about how far out the baby was.

And then…

Soft, high-pitched wails. Bubbles lay panting, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling with each gasp. Him was slouched next to her, still holding her hand, and looking worse for the wear. His right claw was mangled nearly beyond recognition, while His face and upper body were bruised and sore.

Blossom stood, cradling the still crying, slightly bloody infant in her arms. Him looked up at her, and smiled tiredly. He leaned over and touched His forehead to Bubbles's. "You did it." He muttered deliriously, sounding as worn as He looked. "You did it. He's alive. He alive and you're alive and _we have a son_."

"We do?" Bubbles sighed.

"We do."

"Blossom, can I hold him? Can I-"

She stopped, and stared, too tired to be truly shocked, but awake enough to be worried. "Blossom?"

"She's gone." Him said quietly, as though not quite sure of the truth in His words. "_She's gone!_" He rose to His feet, furious. "_She took our son!_"

"Him-"

"_I'm going to kill her_!"

"You're not killing anyone, _George_."

One of the walls exploded, and from the rubble Buttercup stalked through the door. In one hand she held the severed leg of one of Him's guard-beasts, which she brought up and down in the palm of her hand like a bludgeon. She was bruised and cut herself, but between Him and herself, she seemed the less likely to have stepped from a violently outnumbered battle.

Him spun and glared at the Green Puff. "_Get out of my way, Buttercup_." He growled, His eyes glowing menacingly. Buttercup took a single step back. In every confrontation she had ever had with the devil, Him had never seemed more serious, more furious, more…

Bloodthirsty.

She turned her backwards step into a braced fighting form. "I'm done with all of this, _George_. I'm not letting you near my sisters again, and if you so much as try-"

Him's good claw lunged forward, catching the puff off-guard. It clamped down on her shirt collar, and in one movement lifted her up and tossed her through the opposite wall.

"Bu-huh-ter, cup…!" Bubbles gasped. "Buttercup!"

Unshaken and nearly unscathed, the Green Puff burst from the crumbling plaster and flew at Him. She rammed Him through His stomach, knocking Him to the floor. One punch later, she felt her wrist grabbed by two, weak hands. "Stop it. Please."

"Bubbles!" Buttercup yelled. "_What are you doing_?"

"Buttercup," Bubbles stammered through her tears, "Blossom took him. She- she took- I didn't think- she-she-"

"Hey, hey calm down." Buttercup got to her feet, her fighting lust suddenly erased. "Who did Blossom take?"

"Th_e baby_." Bubbles sobbed.

"Buttercup." Him rose slowly to His feet. His voice was eerily cold. "Why don't you stay here with Bubbles."

"Oh, no you don't, Him." Buttercup growled. "She's still _my_ sister."

"Now Buttercup." Him smiled mirthlessly. "What harm could I possibly do to your sister in this condition?"

"I don't trust you."

"Clever. I swear to you, Buttercup, that I will do nothing to harm your sister."

"Blossom."

"What?"

"Say you'll do nothing to harm _Blossom_."

Him frowned. "_Fine_." He growled. "_I'll do nothing to harm Blossom_."

The two locked eyes and glared. Finally, Buttercup waved her hand. "Go on, then."

With a sound like a knife being pulled, Him vanished.

* * *

Blossom flew as rapidly as she could without shooting through time. When Buttercup burst in on Him and Bubbles, Blossom had already cleared the mortal gates to Hell and had taken herself and the infant high into the stratosphere. The baby continued to cry and began to shiver, but it had obviously inherited its mother's ability to survive high altitudes. He- it, this would be easier if she though of him as an it- had probably inherited many of its mother's abilities, and its father's too, if modern genetics were any indication. But any child of the Evilest of Evil was trouble, and any child of her sister's was bound to be strong. There are only so many weak moments in a person's life- she had to take advantage of this one.

Within minutes she had landed amidst the ruins of a monastery in France. She had chosen it weeks ago, when she had first planned the abduction. Of course, she hadn't planned on midwifeing the child's birth. She had intended to take the child from the hospital, preemptively, before Him could do the same. When Him kidnapped Bubbles, she'd had to modify.

Nonetheless, she was prepared. Laying the infant on a slab-like stone, she pulled a bag out from under another. From a side pocket she removed a single stick of white chalk and a small, earmarked book. Flipping to one of the center pages, she began to trace the outline of a sealing circle around the infant, who had ceased crying and was now watching her the best he-it- could. She avoided looking at it. With the circle complete, she removed three short, new candles from the bag and lit them with a quick, thin laser beam. Finally, she took nine daggers and lay them neatly beneath the circle. The infant made no sound, except for some light cooing.

Blossom's mouth was dry. She tried to swallow, but in vain. Finally, she forced herself to look at the child.

The blood was drying on it, but even then she could tell that his skin was red. Just like Him's. The child's sparse hair, however, was blonde, just like Bubbles's. But it was curly, just like Him's beard. Hands, like the mother. Pointed ears, like the father. Eyes, like her sister's. Nose like her enemy's. The baby smiled up at her.

Smile, just like Bubbles's.

Blossom felt her eyes water, but wiped the traitor tears away. There was no room for hesitation. It was her duty to defend the world, in any way and every way. She'd done her research. She'd read the books. The son of Satan, the Anti-Christ, _was_ the end of the world. She couldn't allow that. She _wouldn't_ allow that.

Her hands trembling, she gripped the hilt of the first knife and raised it above the infant.

* * *

"So, His name keeps switching around, you know? So that it matches the person who's caused the most fear or hatred in the world at that time. Like, His name used to be Caesar, and that's why we've got the whole six-six-six deal, because Caesar's home number was six-six-six." Buttercup was trying, and failing, to distract her sister from the thoughts that clouded her mind. The Blue Puff nodded absently at her sister's aimless chatter, which had turned into a meandering explanation of Him's naming qualities. "Until about six or seven years ago, His name was _Adolf_. Can you imagine? Him with a stupid name… like… Adolf." Buttercup sighed in defeat. "Bubbles, come on, snap out of it."

The Blue Puff continued to stare at her knees. Buttercup growled and jumped to her feet. "Come on, Bubbles!" she yelled. " Knock it off! You're really starting to freak me out and you know what? It's pissing me off! Say something! Anything!"

Bubbles's only response was to throw her hands over her eyes and start sobbing. Buttercup merely gave a brief scream of annoyance and kicked the nearest object- Him's television. The pink set was no match for the toughest fighter's frustration, and was reduced to a sparking, smoking mass that vaguely resembled a bowtie.

"Buttercup, it would behoove you to respect other people's property."

Buttercup spun around and raised her arms defensively. Him had returned, just as bruised and battered as He had left, but also just as childless. "What," Buttercup snapped, visibly annoyed that Him had spooked her. "you couldn't find her?"

Bubbles looked up at Him, just as concerned with His answer as Buttercup. Him met the Blue Puff's eyes for just a moment, before casting His own downward again. "I found her." He whispered hoarsely.

"Well, where's the kid?" Buttercup replied, becoming increasingly irritated with the whole situation.

Him, however, paid no attention to the Green Puff, instead making His way over to the bedside where Bubbles still lay in bloody sheets. Him knelt by her, trembling. "Bubbles, she… I…" Him buried His head in her lap. His shoulders began heaving, and Bubbles could feel His shuddering, defeated sobs against her legs.

She stared at Him for a moment. Blankly, she stroked His head, comfortingly. Then, as what had happened sank in, she burst into a fresh wave of tears along with Him, only this time they were stronger, harsher, more hysterical and less worried. There wasn't anything more to worry about.

Him crawled up onto the bed and wrapped His arms around her, needing someone, anyone, to hold onto. Bubbles in turn clung to Him, wailing her betrayal.

Buttercup stood uncomfortably to the side, watching. She scuffed her shoe, and stared at the floor for a moment. Then she looked at the two of them, then back at the floor. Then, heaving a sigh, she rose into the air. "Goodbye, Bubbles."

Then, without further adieu, the Green Puff blazed her way out of Hell, leaving behind more broken things than she cared to count.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's note: I lied. Well, I wasn't lying at the time, but… well, this isn't the last chapter. At the last minute I had a last-ditch spurt of inspiration, and well… it's dragging this story out for about seven further chapters. Let's call it "Part II".

Otherwise, I've tweaked with the Hell presented in the show (I defend myself by saying it morphs itself around a lot in the show anyway, and never really shown properly.). But, out of the many, many versions of Hell in the world, I opted for Jean Paul Sartre's version in "No Exit", because it seems to fit Him's style.

* * *

It was done.

What every villain in Townsville had dreamed of doing, had attempted to do, since the formation of the Powerpuff Girls, had finally occurred. The team of three crime-fighting superheroes was no more.

Not that Buttercup or Blossom ceased to fight crime. As it was, they stuck to their duties, but did so separately, and Bubbles was nowhere to be found. Several people had come to the conclusion that the Blue Puff was dead. As far as the papers were concerned, the two remaining Puffs had confirmed this.

Not long after Bubbles had given birth, a monster had attacked Townsville. It was nothing special- it didn't replicate itself, or spit acid, or spray needles, or even breath fire. Even so, it seemed to cause the Pink and Green Puffs an undue amount of trouble. Buttercup seemed wholly intent on pummeling the beast to a pulp, while Blossom's strategies went completely unheard. It wasn't until the two girls were slammed into the ground for the umpteenth time that something snapped.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Blossom screamed. "Listen to me!"

"Why should I?" Buttercup snarled back, brushing off a few pebbles of broken tar.

"Because I'm the leader, _that's_ why! If you'd just follow my plans-"

"Your plans? Your _PLANS_?! Your stupid _plans_ are what lost us Bubbles!" The Green Puff screamed.

Blossom winced. "My plans have nothing to do with that." She hissed.

"Oh yeah? Then why isn't Bubbles _here_? What did you do with the baby, Blossom? _What were your precious plans there_?"

The argument would have gone further, might have turned to blows, if at that precise moment the monster they were supposed to be battling hadn't slammed one clawed foot into the pavement next to them. The two glared at each other for a brief moment, then turned to face the beast.

The monster was dispatched without further incident, but the next time a crime occurred- when Mojo Jojo made another bid for the city, Blossom appeared alone. When a great bird attacked Tokyo the next week, Buttercup was the only Puff to show face. A line had been drawn, and neither Puff had any inclination to cross it.

Blossom had been the one to explain the situation to the Professor, although the story he received was almost entirely fabricated to omit not only the baby, but the fact that Bubbles and Him had been living together. He hadn't taken it well. His fatherly instincts had kicked in, and the last thing he intended to do was to leave his baby girl in the clutches of an evil being like Him. Truth be told, Blossom wasn't keen on the idea either, but she knew Bubbles wouldn't come back with her. She had left the Professor in his lab, fully intent on building a portal to Hell and bringing Bubbles back.

As for Bubbles, she had no intention of returning home. Ever. The thought that her sister… could do anything so _cruel_, so utterly _heartless_…

The night she had given birth, when she and Him and ceased crying, Him had taken a step outside. She had followed Him, just a few minutes later.

What she found was a bonfire. Him was violently heaving several baby themed items into the inferno- she could see plastic rattles, stuffed animals, even a cradle. Him conjured up a bassinet and hurled it in to join them.

"Him."

"Yes?"

"Can't you bring him back?"

Him turned to face her. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because… because…"

"You did it with the RowdyRuff Boys, right? You brought them back to life! Why can't you bring him back to life? It isn't fair!"

"Because _I can't find his soul_." Him replied, distressed. "I looked everywhere. After I found Blossom, I swear I looked _everywhere_. But it isn't here. It's nowhere in Hell."

"What about Heaven?" Bubbles persisted, her voice reaching a high pitch of hysteria. "If there's a Hell, there's a Heaven, right? And he was just a baby, so his soul could be there right? Did you look there?"

Him collapsed to the ground. "If his soul is in Heaven, then I could never retrieve it. I can't go to Heaven, Bubbles. It's not allowed. I…" Him stared sullenly at His claws. "… I can only do so much."

"So… so we can't bring him back?"

"No."

Bubbles lowered herself to her knees beside Him. "It's not fair." She whispered. "It's not _fair_."

"I know."

"It's not-"

Him pulled her into another embrace. "I know."

* * *

"Blossom? Is something wrong?"

The Pink Puff looked up at Ms. Bellum. She had changed very little over the years. There were a few gray hairs here and there, stuck in among the bushy red curls that still obscured her face- Blossom often wondered just how Ms. Bellum _saw_ anything like that. "It's nothing." The former leader declared, turning back to her desk. She was editing the Mayor's latest book, "_An Ode to the Pickle, and Other Related Poems_."

"Blossom, if you need a few days off, you can always ask. I know you're having some troubles with your sisters-"

"I _said_, I'm _fine_." Blossom snapped. She focused determinedly on the page in front of her. "_O majestic pickle, so lumpy and green_…"

"Blossom." Ms. Bellum pushed the screen of Blossom's laptop down. "You're _not_ fine."

The Pink Puff looked helplessly up at the woman who had been the closest thing to a mother figure that she had. If there was one thing about Ms. Bellum, it was that she was astute. Very little got past her watchful-if covered-eyes. It was a talent the lady had developed in working with the mayor, a man who missed not only the subtle, but the obvious as well. Blossom sighed.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Bellum, but I'd rather not discuss it."

The red haired woman studied her partner. "All right Blossom. Just remember, if you ever need someone to talk to-"

"I know. Thank you, Ms. Bellum."

"Of course."

* * *

Bubbles leaned her head on Him's shoulder. She had convinced Him to take her on a tour of Hell. Him had obliged. She was glad to see Him in a mood other than depressed- it seemed like the two of them were going to drown in it at times. But displaying His realm for Bubbles's curious, yet often horrified eyes, had cheered Him considerably, and that made Hell considerably easier to swallow.

Hell had proved to be something like a hotel. It certainly wasn't the fire and brimstone preached across countless nations, nor was it a degraded, heartless city. Instead it seemed to be endless hallways, turning about endless corners with countless doors lining them. Every so often, Him would stop at a door and allow Bubbles to peek inside.

Even the rooms were not unlike hotel rooms. Inside each was a total of three people, although on occasion there was only one or two ("You see, they're still waiting for their roommates." Him explained.).

Sometimes the three were sitting in separate corners, staring sulkily at one another. Sometimes they were screaming at each other, and in some rooms, the people were at each other's throats, physically beating each other, although not a single blow left a mark.

"Why do they do it?" Bubbles asked when she finally pulled away from a scene where two people sat in the corners, while the other tried in vain to bludgeon himself with a coffee table.

"My dear, you seem to forget-" Him tapped her forehead amusedly. "That we're in _Hell_."

"Why don't you help them?" Bubbles brushed His claw away.

Him blinked. "Why should I?"

"Because they're suffering, that's why!" Bubbles said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Him laughed. "Bubbles, these people _deserve_ it. They _earned_ it. Isn't it obvious? These are the _damned_. Suffering is what they do."

Bubbles frowned, then turned away. Him put His arms around her shoulders and rested His chin on top of her head. "Bubbles." He said soothingly.

"I want to go home, Him."

Him tensed nervously. "Home?"

"With you, Him. Home with you."

Him relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry. I thought-"

Bubbles crossed her arms, taking Him's thin limbs in her hands. "I know."

Him closed His eyes. He had become accustomed to her company, if nothing else. Some might call it love, or at least a very strong affection. It was ironic, really, for as His kingdom proved, Hell was other people, and the last thing He wanted was for her to leave Him alone again.

"I can't help them Bubbles, even if I wanted to." He murmured, kissing the top of her head. "They can't see me. They're locked in that little room for eternity with the two people that they would hate the most. They can't even close their eyes to block it out. And the wouldn't be able to see me if I stepped in there covered in glitter and singing Cher."

Bubbles giggled a little at the thought. She leaned her head back to gaze up at Him. He smiled roguishly back at her.

* * *

"Blossom, please." Henry pleaded. "Why won't you talk to me?"

"There's nothing to discuss, Henry." Blossom lay in bed, facing decidedly away from her fiancé.

He ran a hand through her hair. "I think there is. I know there is. I _know_ you, Blossom."

"You don't know anything." Blossom replied irritably. She wriggled herself under the covers and wrapped the edge of the blanket around her head.

Henry sighed, frustrated. "There's a very good reason for that!" he snapped. "You won't open up to me! I though that maybe, _just maybe_, if we were to get married, you'd confide in me, trust me a little! Nothing's changed!"

"Well you know what!" Blossom sat up quickly, tossing the comforter off herself as she did so. "Maybe I was thinking of _you_! Maybe I thought you'd be _better off_, that you'd be _happier_, if you didn't have to worry about me!"

"Blossom, I want to worry about you. That's what love is. Worrying about people you don't have to worry about." He took her hand in his own. "So please, Blossom."

Blossom wanted to. There was nothing Blossom wanted more than to explain everything, than to tell her lover the whole sordid ordeal. But she couldn't. She opened her mouth a few times, but finally shook her head. "I can't. Please understand."

"I don't." Henry shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't."

* * *

"How long has it been?"

"Hmm?"

"How long has it been since the baby?"

Him looked down at the former Puff. "I'm not sure. Three months, maybe?"

"Three months?" Bubbles mulled it over in her mind. "Is it bad, do you think? That we're not as sad as we were?"

Bubbles rolled onto her back, looking up at Him, awaiting His answer. She was laying down, head resting on His lap as they watched a movie on the television that had replaced the one Buttercup smashed.

"Mmm, no." Him stroked her hair.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

It was true. The heart-wrenching, soul-swallowing sorrow that had weighed them both down before had lightened. It was still there, but Bubbles no longer cried herself to sleep. Him had stopped holding bonfires fueled by cradles and teddy bears. The sorrow that had bound them together was now replaced with something more substantial, something Bubbles had suspected for some time now, and Him was too proud to put into words. But it was there, and they were both aware of it.

One thing was certain- they were moving on.

* * *

Blossom, however, was not.

For three months, she had kept her peace. She felt like a shaken soda can- ready to explode onto whoever was nearest, but her outer self-discipline prevented any such therapy.

As it turned out, Buttercup would be the one to break the seal. It was a purely unintentional meeting- the two hadn't spoken to each other in the past three months. Blossom had thought to visit a new herbal remedy store on the other side of town. Buttercup was just blowing off steam. In one of her less-than –jovial moods, it had been Buttercup who made the first jab.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the baby-killer."

Blossom visibly flinched. "Leave me alone, Buttercup."

"So tell me, Blossom, if I got knocked up, how would you get rid of the brat?"

"Stop it."

"Would you freeze it to death with your god-damned ice breath?"

"_Stop it_!"

"Or maybe you'd drown it? Wouldn't want to get your hands too dirty there."

"Buttercup, _knock it off_!"

"You could feed it to a dingo, I suppose. Or maybe you would just give me a good punch in the-"

Blossom gave her sister a good punch in the jaw. "You have no idea." She hissed. "No idea at all."

* * *

Sometimes, when He watched her sleeping, He felt His new friend guilt rise up again. Not because of what He'd done to her, but because of what He was going to do. They had taken to sharing a bed, at first for the sake of having someone near, now, for no reason at all.

Him nudged His way closer to her unconscious form. He leaned over, and whispered into her ear "You'll just have to forgive me one more time."

He had waited long enough. He was the Evilest of Evil, but there were certain sins He couldn't let pass.

There was a knock at Blossom's door. Henry, however, was the one to answer it. "Can I help you?"

"Why, yes, I think you can." The man at the door smiled, which only made Henry feel uncomfortable. "Is this the residence of Blossom Utonium?"

"She's busy now, but if you come back-"

The man brushed by him, taking long, deliberate strides toward the bedroom. "Hey!" Henry chased after him. "Who are you- what do you-"

"I have a little business with your girlfriend-"

"Fiancé ."

"Congratulations." The man said in an offhand manner. "But I have some business with her, so I'd advise you to leave the building." Henry blocked the door. This caused the unwelcome visitor to pause for a whole two seconds. His arm then snapped out and grabbed Henry's shirt collar, dragging him close so that he was face to face with the intruder, whose frozen, demented smile never dropped once. "Excuse me." He said icily, before tossing Blossom's affianced directly into the stereo system on the other side of the room. He slammed into the shelf and collapsed on the floor, bringing the stereo and an avalanche of CD's down with him.

"Henry? Are you okay-" Blossom opened the door and poked her head out. Her eyes came to rest not on the still form of her lover, but the lanky, dark-haired man who held his chin in two fingers, scrutinizing his work, the man who could only be "Him." Blossom said darkly.

"My, aren't you clever." Him replied harshly.

"Get out of my house, Him." Blossom growled. "I'm not in the mood."

Him responded by rapidly shape-shifting back into His natural form and slamming His claw around her neck. Gripping as tightly as He could, He yanked her into the room with enough force to break an average human's spine. He then held her in the air as she recollected her senses. He applied more force, nearly crushing Blossom's windpipe. "Ah, ah, ah." Him grinned, slashing at Blossom's eyes as they began to glow red. "_No peeking_."

Him then slammed Blossom down, twisting His arm so that her head crashed into the floor. The Pink Puff grabbed each side of the pincer and forced them apart. She them flew out from under Him's grasp and into the air. She skittered across the ceiling before dive-bombing the devil and knocking Him to the ground. Him responded by clamping down on her sides and hurling her through the window.

There came a groan from Him's right. He glanced to the side. Henry was pulling himself out from under the entertainment system. Him briefly debated chucking him out with his precious Blossom. This plan, however, was interrupted as the said Puff hovered into view outside. Him turned back to Henry. "You might want to get that looked at." Him suggested amiably as Henry tested the back of his head for blood.

"Fuck off." Henry muttered.

Him mocked offense. "How rude! Tell me, has she told you anything?"

"Shut up!" Blossom interjected, zooming into the apartment.

"I'll take that as a no." Him sneered.

"Him, no!" Blossom pleaded.

"Your darling, perfect Blossom-"

"Him, please."

"-is nothing more than a-"

Blossom tackled Him to the floor and directed three rapid, powerful blows to His face. The devil spat out a thin stream of blood. He then glared malevolently up at her.

"-babykiller."

Blossom slammed another punch into His face. She turned to Henry "Don't listen to Him. He's a liar, and that's all He's ever been."

"Blossom, I'm blushing. But-" Him pushed her off of Himself, and rose leisurely. "-you know I'm not lying."

"Shut up, Him."

"You see, Henry." Him leaned on the man's shoulder, grinning as he tensed nervously. "Blossom here, took _nine sharp knives_ to an innocent, newborn infant. Now I," Him threw His arms up. "Have never done something so heinous. I should be jealous of her cruelty. But," At this Him glared at Blossom, who suddenly felt like she couldn't move. "it was a little too close to home. You see, the baby that Blossom killed was _mine_. Oh ho, it gets better." Him laughed mirthlessly, "The baby was not only _mine_, but her _sister's_. _Blossom killed her own nephew_."

"Shut up!" Blossom covered her ears. "Shut up shutup _shutupshutup_!"

"What's that Blossom? Do you have something to say? Why, if it didn't affect me so closely, I'd be proud of you. Tell me, how did it feel, the first knife? Were you exited by it? Were you nauseous? Perhaps it took a few blades, before you really _got into it_."

Blossom glared up at Him. "_I hate you_." She hissed.

"Good." Him replied coldly. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

Him's eyes suddenly bulged for a moment, before narrowing into a terrible glare. He looked over His shoulder, finding Henry, wielding what had been part of the fallen shelf, and looking much more afraid now that Plan A had failed him. "_I think_," Him growled. "_That you've outlived your usefulness_."

Him spun and summoned a magenta orb, then hurled it toward him.

"No!" Blossom screamed, leaping to her feet and moving in front of her betrothed, taking the spell.

She shuddered under it. She felt her body go numb, then switch to a full body pins-and-needles sensation as her heart began to beat rapidly out of control and her muscles began spasming violently. Henry stood paralyzed for a few brief moments, then fell to his knees and grabbed Blossom's head. "Stop it!" he screamed. "Stop it!"

Him sniffed. It was tempting to allow His spell to wrack Blossom until she was in a coma. Opting against it, He snapped a single claw and allowed the spell to disperse. Blossom stopped shaking, and began gasping. Him tittered. "Really, Blossom, I expected more of a fight from you."

"Blossom," Henry cut in shakily. "Blossom, did you really? Did you… did…"

Blossom squinted up at his face. She wanted to let it go. She wanted to confess everything, and lift the guilt from her chest.

"I didn't do it." She whispered.

Him rolled His eyes. "You little liar."

"I didn't do it."

"Ha."

"_I didn't do it_!" Blossom screamed, pushing herself up, albeit shakily. "I couldn't do it." Him continued to glare at her. She felt the threat of tears, but fought them down. "I wasn't strong enough. He- he looked so much like Bubbles, and he was just a baby. I… I…"Blossom covered her eyes. "I failed everyone! It's my fault! Everything's going to come to an end, because I couldn't stop it!"

She was never one to cry noisily, like Bubbles, but her shoulders began to shake. Henry tentatively placed his hands on them, in an attempt to console her.

Him, however, was floored. "He's… he's alive?"

Blossom nodded, still holding her eyes.

"Where is he?" Him advanced on her. "_Where is he_?!"

"I can't tell you."

Him knocked Henry to the side and grabbed Blossom's shirt collar, hoisting her into the air. "You'll tell me." He hissed. "You'll tell me or I'll-"

"Kill me?" Blossom spread her arms wide. "Go ahead. I don't want to face this future anymore.

The two held each other's eyes for a mountain's age. Then, Him released her shirt and vanished.


	9. Chapter 9

_Her hands trembled in the air, the blade poised above the infant. She closed her eyes. She had to do it. She didn't have a choice. The entire world was at stake. It was her job. It was her _duty_._

_Her eyes snapped open as the silence was pierced by a childish shriek of laughter. She glanced down at the little red bundle- his umbilical cord hardly even dried, he was so young- who was laughing with innocent, impish glee, reaching his chubby red arms up to her, tiny fingers twitching as though trying to learn how to grasp._

_Blossom swallowed. Not even a full hour old, and already strong enough to laugh and reach. She couldn't wait for him to grow older, to finally do wrong and prove that his destruction was necessary. By then it might be too late. It had to be now. It had to be._

_She steadied her hand. She closed her eyes. Don't look. Don't watch. Don't see. The child had to die. It couldn't be imprisoned- jail had never held its mother or father. Seals could be broken. It had to be death. There wasn't another option._

_Barely convinced, breathing heavily with the guilt that wasn't needed yet, Blossom slammed the blade down._

_Another shriek. It was still a shriek of laughter though. Blossom opened her eyes. She'd missed. The blade wasn't even in the circle. The Pink Puff slumped. Her heart was beating furiously inside her ribcage. _Evil people_. It whispered._ Evil people kill newborn babies_._

What can I do_? Blossom thought furiously._ I'm not evil. I can't do this. I have to do this. But I _can't…_

_She held her eyes for a moment. Time was running out. Soon, Him would be after her. He'd find her, and she doubted He would sate Himself with mere mind-games and tortures. He'd tear her apart. And she wouldn't blame Him. And she wouldn't blame Bubbles if she helped._

_But there was no time. She lifted the blade again, this time determined to end the threat once and for all. She kept her eyes open this time. She couldn't afford to miss._

_But once again, at the last moment, the blade swerved and she slammed it into the stone once more. This time, however, the knife did not bear well. The thin steel blade snapped, clattering to the ground._

_Blossom stared at it blankly. Well, she thought to herself, relieved._ That's it then. I need nine knives. Now I only have eight. I can't do it properly.

_She ignored the voice in her head that reminded her that the blade itself was still sharp and scooped the infant back into her arms. There was still a little time, and she thought she had an idea as to where she could hide the child._

"Him?"

Bubbles watched Him worriedly. Three days ago He had come home from-well, she wasn't sure where He was, but He had been trembling with excitement. Despite her every attempt to wheedle the secret to his sudden joy out of Him, He had remained remarkably tightlipped. All He had done was pull her into a bone-crushingly tight hug, then turned and sat down on the couch, flipping through channels furiously.

He hadn't moved from the spot since.

"Him?" Bubbles tried again.

Him twitched as though shocked out of focus. "Yes? What is it?" Him afforded her a quick glance, before gluing Himself back to the screen.

Bubbles slowly lowered herself onto the couch next to Him. "Him, did I do something wrong?"

"Of course not. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you've just been sitting here channel surfing. For three days. I thought-"

"Bubbles," Him cut her off, wrapping His arm around her and squeezing gently. "You haven't done anything. I'm just looking for someone."

"Who?"

Him paused for a moment, as though thinking. "Never mind." He said coolly.

Bubbles frowned. "Is there a problem?"

"Bubbles," Him said, exasperated. "There's nothing wrong. Everything's fine. I haven't even done anything evil recently." Bubbles folded her arms. "Now, _that_ didn't count!" Him countered. "No one even got hurt."

"Uh-huh."

Him tapped His claw on the couch armrest. "How has, ah, _therapy_ been going?"

"It's going great!" Bubbles replied brightly, immediately switching gears. "I finally got Harold to stop trying to smash his head through the wall!"

"It wouldn't have damaged him." Him replied off-handedly.

"I know. Hey, how come they can see me, but they can't see you?"

"I haven't the foggiest." Him switched channels. For one thing, the people didn't see Bubbles any better than they could see Him, but Bubbles had convinced herself otherwise. She was funny that way. "Why don't you ask them?"

"All right." Bubbles kissed His cheek then rose. "Good luck."

"Good luck."

Him watched her exit, then turned back to rapidly switching channels. He hadn't told Bubbles anything that He had learned from Blossom. He had intended to, truly He had, but then the doubts had begun to set in.

If they found the child, how would they stay together? He had realized a few weeks ago that the sole reason He and Bubbles resembled a couple in any way was thanks to Bubbles's pure, unadulterated anger and hate toward her red-headed sister, and supposed murderer of her child. From this one common ground they had managed to build a relationship. If Bubbles knew that Blossom hadn't killed the child, the whole foundation would crumble. It was far too likely that she would return to her sisters, perhaps even _forgive_ Blossom.

And then what?

Him refused to lose her now. He wasn't exactly sure what they had, but how did the song go? _He'd grown accustomed to her face._ That was it. Right now, Bubbles was too infuriated to really fight crime. He had heard that the two remaining Puffs on the mortal plane had gone their separate ways, and in a way, He found it ironic. His scheme had helped to destroy the "Powerpuff Girls" as a team- but what had broken them apart was not the actions of any one villain, but the actions of a Powerpuff herself.

But now those "actions" had proved false. The baby was alive. Him didn't know how she would respond to the news.

So Him hunted alone.

* * *

Bubbles never made it to her therapy sessions. Instead, she was interrupted by the familiar sight of a black-haired girl in green.

"Buttercup!"

The former Green Puff hastily set down the trinket she had been inspecting and spun around to face her sister. "Hey, Bubbles."

The blond immediately tackled her sister in a fierce hug. "I missed you!"

"So then why didn't you visit?" she responded irritably, squirming out of her sister's embrace. "Stupid."

"Well, I…" Bubbles realized she didn't really have an explanation. She hadn't even thought about it. Buttercup, however, nodded grudgingly.

"So… You and Him are a couple now, huh?"

"Um… I guess."

Buttercup crossed her arms. "Yeah, I thought so. What, has He gone straight or have you-"

"I don't think He was ever gay, Buttercup."

"Huh? That's not what I- Of course Him's _gay_, Bubbles, I mean, look at Him!"

"Maybe He's bisexual. Like you."

"I'm not bisexual. I'm a lesbian. There's a difference."

"What about Ace?"

Buttercup reddened. "Never mind Ace! I swore off men anyway." The Green Ex-Puff sighed. "What I meant was, is Him gonna be all good-guy now or are you going evil?"

"Neither, I guess."

"Whaddya mean, 'neither'?"

"Well, Him's still evil, and I'm still good."

"Great! So, you can come back to crime fighting, right?"

"Huh?"

"Aw, come on, do I have to spell it out for you?" Buttercup sighed. "Come fight crime with me again."

"But… but I thought you _wanted_ to fight crime on your own."

"Well, yeah, I did. And it was fun for awhile, but… You know, the novelty wears thin after a bit. It can get kinda boring." Buttercup looked her sister squarely in the eye. "So, what d'ya say? Wanna come fight with me?"

"I don't know… I need to think about it."

"Well, could you think fast? 'Cause there's this weirdo attacking Townsville with a ray gun and I can't get anywhere near him."

* * *

For the third time that afternoon Bubbles slammed into a force-field and bounced back off. She felt a brief shock of electricity race through her body upon contact, but otherwise nothing happened. She brushed herself off and rose to her feet. Buttercup was viciously pounding on the field, ignoring the shocks that raced through her arms. But eventually, even she had to pull back.

"This isn't working." She grumbled, hovering over to Bubbles.

Their current foe just grinned. "How do you like them apples?" He snickered, chucking the aforementioned fruit at the two of them.

The produce bounced off Bubbles's head. "Oh _come on_." Buttercup screamed. "I thought we outgrew these_ lame-ass kinds of villains_!"

"Hey!" the villain put his hands on his hips. "I'm_ right here_!"

Truth be told, Bubbles had begun to wonder exactly why they were having so much trouble. Parlor tricks like ray guns and force-fields had never stopped them before, in fact, they'd never even been much of a problem.

She took a moment to study their enemy, who had taken the brief pause to make a run for it- with little success, as Buttercup continued to block every exit. Even with his force-field on, he couldn't squeeze past her.

He was relatively short, a little chubby, and after that there wasn't much detail to go on, since he was entirely covered in a blocky black jumpsuit that looked as though it had been rejected from a few comic books.

As far as his goal went, well, he seemed to be absorbed in simply knocking down a few buildings. Finding no way around the persistent Buttercup, the increasingly frustrated villain spun around and aimed his weapon at one of several looming skyscrapers. He slammed the mechanism into high gear and blasted a massive hole into the structure. Miraculously, the building continued to stand- Townsville buildings were nothing if not a little sturdy- but any casualties would be dealt with later as the nameless villain leapt through the rubble, and promptly fell on his face.

Buttercup shot at him, managing to land a solid punch on his face, sending him sailing down the street. "Got 'im!" the Green Puff punched the air triumphantly.

"_Follow_ him!" Bubbles yelled, and the two shot off down the street.

By the time they reached him, the force-field had re-set itself. "Now what?" Bubbles asked.

"We could just trip him again." Buttercup suggested.

This, however, proved difficult. Despite the melee of flailing limbs that threw themselves before him, not a single one was able to reach his feet before they were swatted away by the force-field.

"GAH-AH!" Buttercup screamed, her patience rapidly traveling through the negatives. She finally blasted him with laser vision.

The red beams of light passed effortlessly through the force-field and slammed into the villain's suit, knocking him off his feet.

The three paused. After a few moments of stunned blinking, Bubbles cried out "_Why didn't we do that before_?"

* * *

"And then I was all zzzzzzzzzzap! And he was all faaaaaaaaaaaaaaall! An then we caught 'im, and do you know why he was doing it?" Buttercup leaned toward her audience conspiratorially, pausing for dramatic effect. No one broke her silence. She then leaned back and slapped her knee, delivering the punch line. "_He was an architect_! _He wanted to re-design Townsville once he'd leveled it_! "

There was an uproarious, if not over-enthusiastic bout of laughter. The bar-goers of Townsville knew that if Buttercup tried to make a joke, you laughed. You laughed very hard. Especially after the third cup of vodka.

Bubbles kicked her feet and nodded, sipping at her own glass of water. It was nice to be back on the fighting scene, much as she hated to admit it. It was therapeutic.

"Hey." A man she didn't know slid into the stool beside her, smiling broadly. "How about a drink?"

"No thanks," Bubbles replied politely. "I'm not much of a drinker."

"Your sister certainly is." He nodded his head toward Buttercup, who, sure enough, was downing her fourth mug.

"Don't bother. She's strictly girls-only." Bubbles advised.

"Well then, it's a good thing," he leaned in closer, bringing his face up to hers, "that it's not her I'm interested in."

Bubbles blushed. "I'm sorry, but I-"

Ignoring her negative response, the stranger merely placed a hand on the Blue Puff's leg. "How's about you and me go back to my place, and…"

Bubbles pushed his hand away. "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested."

"Oh. Are you a 'strictly-girls' girl as well?"

"No."

"So?"

"Well, I'm sort of seeing someone."

"Ah." The stranger threw his hands in the air and slouched back, clearly disappointed. "Who is the lucky son of a bitch?"

"I'd rather not say."

"C'mon."

"Please, just leave me alone."

"Come on."

"Hey, jerk-wad." Buttercup cut in. "She said she's not interested, so fuck off."

The stranger glared, but fortunately backed off. There wasn't a bar-goer in Townsville that would challenge Buttercup after the third drink, no matter how drunk they were themselves.

"C'mon, let's go. I've got another group to get to at the Frog Prince."

"Another group?" Bubbles followed her sister out the door. "I thought you only had three."

"Yeah, well the Tipsy Koala gang kinda split after your _boyfriend_ burned it down." Buttercup retorted, not without a touch of venom.

"Shhh-shhh!" Bubbles flapped her hands nervously. "Keep it down!"

Buttercup laughed, then sobered quickly. "What, you're serious?" Bubbles nodded. "Come on! You're not gonna just keep quiet about it are you? It's gonna get out sometime."

"I wish it wouldn't."

"Bubbles, you're dating the _devil_. Someone's gonna find out."

Bubbles furrowed her brows and frowned. "I think I'm going to go home."

"To your apartment?"

"No…"

Buttercup crossed her arms. "Bubbles, He's just using you you know."

"No He isn't! He hasn't asked me to do anything since the baby, so how can He be using me?"

"Ace didn't ask me to do much either, you know. And he was still using me."

Bubbles stared at the ground. "Oh yeah." She had forgotten. Buttercup knew better than anyone what it was like to be used by a villain. But that was different, wasn't it? Him was different, wasn't He? He cared about her, He did! He had to! He had to…

"I'm going _home_, Buttercup. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

* * *

_You were never fit to be leader._

_Look at yourself. That was it. That was your chance to wipe out a second generation of evil, and you blew it. You ruined everything. You couldn't stick to your own plan._

_You were never fit to be leader._

It was the same thing over and over again in her mind. There were variations at times, but the basic massage was always the same. She had dropped the ball. She had blown it.

It was because it was so young. That was all. It was just an _infant_, not even aware of its purpose. But that didn't mean it wasn't evil. True, she hadn't really killed before, not directly. She had never needed to. But you couldn't lock a baby in jail, and prison had never kept Him long, so she doubted it would hold His son.

Blossom hadn't left her bed in days. It was odd to be beating herself up over not killing an infant, but she had allowed the whole ordeal to penetrate deep into each consciousness. The looming, towering Apocolypse that she had failed to circumvent floated before her sleeping and waking eyes. It was inescapable.

She could still stop it. She could fly right now to where she had hidden the child, and…

_And what_? She berated herself. _Finish the job? You could never do it. You don't have that kind of strength._

_You were never fit to be leader._

* * *

_She had been flying erratically for about twenty minutes when Him found her. It had been enough to throw anyone off her trail. He had found her blasting over Brazil, high above the clouds that were throwing rain onto the landscape below._

_He appeared right in front of her, halting her in her tracks. The two eyed each other. Blossom braced herself for a fight. She was surprised however when Him's face began to crumble. "Oh no…" He moaned._

_Blossom looked down. She hadn't noticed before, but her dress was covered in birth blood. Even her arms were stained with the dry hemoglobin, flaking wherever she bent her limbs._

_She looked like a murderer. It was time to work with what she had._

_"Yes, Him." Blossom said shakily, trying desperately not to lose her composure, to give away her lie. "I killed him. The earth is… safe."_

_"Oh no." Him's voice was cracking. "No, no , no…"_

_"Yes, Him." It pained her, it really did to see her adversary breaking so uncontrollably. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. It had to be done."_

_Him was silent, covering His face with His claws, desperately trying to gather together His poise again. He'd spent an eternity building His apathy, only to have it shattered by this one, horrific event._

_"Where's the body?" He asked hoarsely._

_Blossom thought quickly. "I buried it. On church grounds." She watched His reaction- it was what she'd hoped for. He couldn't go on sacred ground._

_"Give him back to me."_

_"No."_

_"_GIVE HIM BACK TO ME!_"_

_"Stop it, Him." Blossom replied coldly. "There's nothing you can do. Your son is dead, and you're hardly in any condition to fight."_

_Him touched His mangled claw lightly. "_I'll heal_." He hissed._

_"Come and get me then, Him. Come and get me."_


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: I'm baaa-aack! Sorry it took so long, my old laptop died, so I had to wait to get a new one. I actually got it a few weeks back, but I've been pretty busy, so it took me awhile before I actually typed up the chapter and posted it. So, please forgive me.

* * *

Bubbles didn't return immediately to Hell. Instead she meandered around Townsville's airspace, thinking to herself. Soon, the huddled buildings thinned and gave way to manicured, green-grown lawns, and it wasn't long before she found herself just above her childhood home. She settled herself on its roof and craned her neck back to stare at the oncoming night. A few moments passed before she heard the light clatter of a window sliding open. "Blossom? Is that you?"

Bubbles peered over the edge. "No, it's me."

The Professor blinked, then scrambled out the window. He gasped a little as he lost his balance, but Bubbles grabbed his wrist and pulled him up to join her, where he clasped her into the unrelenting hug only worried parents can give. "Bubbles! I was so- where have you- how have you- what-?"

"I missed you too, Professor." She said softly.

She felt slightly guilty. Her sisters, she knew, visited when they could, but before everything with Him Bubbles had visited the Professor nearly every day. But as her stomach grew it became less and less easy to hide, and so her visits had dwindled to nothing. The Professor seemed not to have heard her, as he continued to babble, albeit in more completed sentences.

"Don't worry- I won't let anything happen to you. If He comes here, I'll… I'll…"

"Professor! Professor, it's okay, I'm fine."

"Bubbles," Professor Utonium cupped her face in his hands. "Sweetie, I know you're trying to be strong, but it's okay. You don't have to be. Not with me."

Bubbles stared at him in disbelief. "Professor, I'm not trying to be strong. I'm not, I swear. Nothing bad happened."

Professor folded his arms and studied her. "Bubbles, you know you can…"

"I know, Professor." She forced a smile. "Don't I always?"

He nodded grudgingly, but didn't seem particularly convinced. "Why don't you come inside?"

* * *

Half a cup of tea and a mug of coffee later, the two sat in silence around the kitchen table. The Professor held his empty mug up to his mouth, buying time to decide what to say. Bubbles had heard the last of it drain quite awhile ago, but didn't feel the need to rush him. In fact, she didn't feel much like talking anymore. Having to explain everything to the Professor was like aggravating a sore she had forgotten about. So they sat there.

Finally, the Professor sighed and reluctantly set down his mug. "I'm sorry, Bubbles." He said quietly.

The Blue Puff made no response. Instead she listlessly shrugged her shoulders. The Professor reached his hand across the table. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'm fine, Professor." She said tiredly.

"I don't think you are, Bubbles." He sat back and templed his fingers. "Bubbles, could you tell me why you're still with Him?"

"Huh?" Bubbles looked up from her lap.

"Just what I said. Why are you still with Him? With the baby…dead… there's really no more point in staying, is there?"

"Sure there is." Bubbles shrugged. "I mean… He…"

The Professor waited patiently for her to finish, then leaned toward her, crossing his arms. "Bubbles, I don't think you realize exactly what you're doing. I know you're… angry… with Blossom, and I can understand, but…"

There was a knock at the door. The Professor frowned, suspecting it would be exactly who he did not want to see.

"I'll get it, Professor." Bubbles said quickly, and hurried to the door.

She returned soon, walking rather stiffly, with a rather tired and uncomfortable Blossom trailing behind her. The Professor gave the Pink Puff a strained smile. "Blossom." He said, trying, and failing, to sound normal. "You know you don't have to knock."

"I know, Professor." She responded quietly.

"Why don't you join us? I could make some tea or coffee…"

"Tea is fine."

"Professor," Bubbles interrupted, "I'm sorry, but I think I should be going."

"Wait, Bubbles." The Professor lifted a hand. "Maybe we should all talk about this. Stay."

Blossom gave her father an anguished look. "No, really, Professor, it's all-"

"No, no." he interrupted, the strain in his voice now clearly audible. "I think we should… Please."

The two sisters sat down at the table, but refused to look at one another. The Professor stood, and began slowly making his way around the kitchen, taking his time in selecting a cup and a teabag, then leisurely pouring hot water over it. What could have been a five-minute process stretched to ten, then fifteen, then twenty, until finally the tea had cooled to near room temperature, and the Professor debated whether he should simply dump it down the kitchen drain and start over again. He was hesitating over the sink when, nearly inaudible, he heard;

"I'm so sorry."

"You should be."

"I am. I'm so, so sorry…"

"That doesn't fix anything."

"I know."

There was a pause. The Professor slowly tipped the teacup in his hand, trying his best to pour silently, and failing as the drainpipe gurgled and slurped away the beverage. He all but tiptoed his way back to the teapot.

"I… I don't understand." He heard Bubbles say. "Why did you do it? What good could it have done to… to…"

"I didn't think I had any other choice. It means the end of the world, when the Anti-Christ was born. I thought I told you."

"How do you know?"

"Know what?"

"Know that he's the Anti-Christ."

"He… What else could he be? The Anti-Christ is the son of Satan. Almost every Christian religion believes that."

"What about the ones that don't?"

Blossom shrugged. Bubbles continued, "How do you know that they aren't the ones that are right?"

"I didn't want to take that chance."

Bubbles clenched her fists. "You should have!" she screamed. "You couldn't know for sure, so you should have taken the risk!" Tears were competing for eye-space. "He was just a baby. Just a little baby, and you… you…"

Bubbles threw her hands over her eyes and began bawling. Blossom stared at her sister, stupefied, and clueless as to what to do. But as the Blue Puffs sobs ebbed away, Blossom said "But I didn't."

"What?" Bubbles sniffled.

"I didn't kill him."

"But… but Him said… He saw…"

"What Him saw," Blossom cut in, "was me, still bloody from the afterbirth."

Bubbles stared, then her eyes lit up. "Then…? THEN…? He's still…?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?" Bubbles nearly leapt over the table. "Blossom, where is he?"

The Pink Puff looked into her lap. "I can't tell you."

The light faded. "But…"

"Bubbles," Blossom spoke as soothingly as she could. "If Him finds that baby, it doesn't matter if he's the Anti-Christ or Jesus Christ. Him will use him to take over the world. Or worse."

"He wouldn't."

"Bubbles, He would. Just because Him hasn't attacked Townsville lately doesn't mean He's suddenly become a good guy. If He hadn't lost that bet to Buttercup, we'd still be fighting Him just like we do Mojo Jojo, and Fuzzy Lumpkin, and all the other monsters and villains. Remember? Him's still the Evilest of Evil. It doesn't matter whether He's a Father, or a lover, or anything. Him is most importantly_ Him_."

Bubbles looked troubled, but quickly dissolved to anger. "No, He's not! You don't understand at all! Him is perfectly capable of being a decent hu… a decent ma… a decent whatever He is! I've seen it!"

"Bubbles, please! Isn't it enough? Your baby's alive, and I promise, he's in the safest place possible! Maybe you're right, maybe he's not the Anti-Christ, maybe I'm wrong, but what if I'm not?"

Bubbles was quiet. She opened her mouth, but Blossom cut her off. "Bubbles, you have to trust me. This is for the good of everyone. I don't care if you keep dating Him at this point, but please. Don't go looking for the baby."

"How do I know," Bubbles replied suspiciously, "that you're not lying now?"

"You have to trust me."

Bubbles silently warred with herself. There was nothing, nothing in this moment that she wanted more than to go out and find her child. But then… Blossom had always been the leader. She had always done her best to fight for the greater good, and truth be told, she was often right. Bubbles felt a slight chill as another thought came to mind.

"Does… Does Him know?"

Blossom nodded. "Yes. I'd thought He'd told you."

"No." So… that was it then. Him had known, for who knows how long, that the baby was alive. He hadn't said anything. Nothing. It was… strange. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out _why_.

"I'm going home." She finally said, her brows still furrowed in thought.

Blossom nodded. "See ya."

"Bye."

Blossom watched her blond sister leave, then turned back to the Professor. "I think I'll be heading home too, Professor. Sorry."

The Professor shook his head. "That's alright, Blossom. I'll see you soon."

As she left, he glanced down at his teacup. Shrugging, he sipped it, then, making a face, poured it back down the drain.

* * *

Him hadn't even heard her come in. He just felt her softly slide into place next to Him. "You look tired." She said.

"I am."

"Why don't you get some sleep?"

"I can't."

"If… if you tell me who you're looking for, I could help. You could sleep. I'll take over for awhile."

Him looked down at her, contemplating her suggestion. His face vaguely resembled a raccoon's, with dark bags settling in under His eyes. It would take days of sleep, or at least a few pounds of makeup, to erase them. His eyes themselves seemed nearly unfocused. With a drawn out sigh, He allowed His head to drop to her shoulder. He closed His eyes. "I _can't_." He whispered.

Bubbles nodded sadly to herself. They sat there in silence, until Him's breathing evened out. "Him?" she said quietly. She received no response. He was asleep.

Gently she lifted the remote from His claw. She had at times wondered why He bothered using it. Nonetheless, she raised it and began flipping through channels.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's note: Ugh, I seem to be in a short-chapter slump. So I put up two short chapters, because I don't want to join them, and putting up the next one alone would be a jip to y'all.

* * *

When Bubbles's arm grew tired, Him still hadn't awoken. The Blue Puff carefully edged her way out from under Him and gently lay Him down. He looked so…

_Him's still the Evilest of Evil. It doesn't matter whether He's a Father, or a lover, or anything._

She bit her lip. He might have been the Evilest of Evil once, but the years had mellowed Him, right? She had seen Him cry, and anything that cried could never be truly evil, right? Right?

_If He hadn't lost that bet to Buttercup…_

Why hadn't He said anything? He knew that their son was alive. He knew. Why didn't He say anything? She could have helped. She could have helped Him look, they could have found him together, and then… and then…

Bubbles fetched a blanket and threw it over Him. She didn't know "what then", that was Blossom's territory. What should she do?

* * *

The woods were bright tonight. The moon was hesitating between light and shadow, like a brilliant, half-closed eye. Solid ground, and grass with a sky above it, trees that stretch and critters that scuttled about. It all felt new again. She had been so long in Hell, she had forgotten what it was like to be surrounded by _life_, even if it was only a quiet, unseen sort of life.

She heard a bat squeak above her. It was a meaningless, hunting sort of squeak with no words attached to it. Bubbles squeaked in response anyway. _Hello_!

_Hello!_ Came the response.

_Could you come here for a moment?_

The bat swooped down and grasped her earlobe, swinging down and wrapping its wings about itself. _Hello, hello!_ It chattered in her ear. _The night is bright, we hunt tonight!_

_That's wonderful. Say, could you do me a favor? _

_Perhaps, perhaps, what do you ask?_

_Just spread a message for me. Ask anyone and everyone to keep their eyes open for a baby._

_Baby, babies everywhere, we see them every night._

_A special baby_, Bubbles pressed. She liked chatting with bats, but they had a tendency of being overenthusiastic. _My baby._

_Baby, baby, looks like who?_

_I… I don't know._ Bubbles thought about it. Maybe_, uh, maybe black hair? And maybe… red skin?_ Bubbles tried her best to remember how genetics worked. If she was pale and Him was red, the dominant gene would be… pink? No, red, red is right. If her eyes were blue and His eyes are yellow- or were they green? Green, yellow, green, yellow, green? _Maybe green eyes?_

_Little red baby with little green eyes, black hair, maybe, maybe, maybe._

_Will you do it?_

_Yup yup! _The bat opened its wings and fluttered out and away. _Bye, bye! Little red baby with little green eyes…_

* * *

She wasn't there.

Him sat upright in a panic. She had been there, He _knew_ she had, just moments before. He had closed His eyes and then… then… He stood up in a panic. _She knew_! She knew, she knew He knew and she'd gone! She'd left Him! She… she…

He heard a door open and close. In moments He was in the entryway. He grabbed her shoulders. "Where were you?!" He shrieked, panic forcing His voice to obscene heights. "Where were you?" I was worried sick! I… I…!"

Bubbles, eyes wide with initial shock, was barely able to get her words out. "I, I'm sorry! I just went outside!"

Him relaxed, all of His joints weakening. "Don't… _do_ that to me. You were there, then you were gone and I… I thought…" His head drooped down, as though He had just run a marathon.

"Him, Him." Bubbles took His face in her hands. "It's okay. It's okay. I'm not leaving you."

Him had the strange feeling He had just been forgiven for something. It was an uncomfortable effect she had. Finally, as what had just happened fully registered, Him blushed and muttered. "Sorry, I'm sorry. That was…" Foolish. Stupid. An amateur's mistake. Exactly the kind of behavior girls were told to avoid in a boyfriend.

Bubbles, however, just nodded knowingly. Him moved His claws down to her hands. "Let me make it up to you."

"What?" Bubbles asked, a little shaken from His sudden about-face.

"Let's do something." Him then smiled slyly. "I have a few ideas…"

* * *

Him was a remarkably good dancer.

One of His "few ideas" (Actually, His _only_ idea, really,) turned out to be ballroom dancing. They had debated, briefly, over the exact style. Him had been all for Samba or Tango, but Bubbles insisted on something a little slower before trying the more difficult routines. Thus, the two were waltzing.

Bubbles had taken some lessons in ballet when she was younger, so she wasn't completely out of her league. In fact, the combination of ballet, superpowers and a long career of crime-fighting probably gave her enough balance and flexibility to put any Julliard graduate to shame. Nonetheless, she much preferred to try what she was certain she wouldn't look foolish at.

Him, paying no attention to the background music or even the instructions of the teacher, had upon entering the classroom, taken Bubbles into His arms and began twirling her around the floor, with the occasional dip tucked in between. After some rather heartfelt and emotional pleas, the teacher had taken the rest of the class to a far corner and attempted to instruct them on a basic one-two step. As a result, Bubbles and Him had nearly the entire floor to themselves.

"Well?" Him beamed.

"Well what?" Bubbles spun under His hand- He was once again Herb.

"Well…" He said, dragging the word out in mock exasperation, then pulling her close. "What do you think?"

"This is fun." She smiled.

Him returned the smile, albeit a bit smugly. "I thought so."

Step, step, step, spin, step, step, step, spin, twirl…

"Him?"

"Hmm?"

Bubbles hesitated. She wanted to ask, "Who were you looking for?" She wanted to press the matter. Yes, she knew the answer, but… She wanted to hear Him say it. She wanted Him to give her the truth. But even that… that wasn't it, either.

"Never mind."

He cocked His head, opened His mouth, then closed it again. "Okay."

Step, step, step, spin, step, step, step, spin…

Bubbles leaned up against Him and rested her head between His chest and shoulder. He looked at her concernedly. "Is something wrong?"

"Mm-mm."

"Are you sure? Are you tired?! If you're tired, just let me know, we'll rest-"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Bubbles shook her head. "You worry too much, you know."

"Is there something wrong with that?" Him replied hotly.

"No… it's a little tiring, but it's not necessarily a bad thing."

Him held her closer. "Good."

They weren't even dancing anymore. They were just standing, holding each other tightly.

That settled it.

Blossom _was_ wrong.

If Him were truly that evil, He wouldn't care whether it were "wrong" or "bad."

Him wouldn't worry at all.

He was staring at her. Not staring, staring in the rude, gawking way, but more of a knowing, nervous, anxious way. She stared back.

Green eyes…

Their lips met.

* * *

The gossip spread about the park. The girl who spoke with Animals had lost a cub, had lost a kit, had lost a calf, a fawn, a chick. Whatever the translation, there was no mistaking the meaning; a baby was missing. Some of the more predatory creatures briefly debated the culinary aspects of this news. Those more situated to being prey shuddered and kept a closer eye on their own young. But the warm season was nearing its turn, and the smaller birds began to flock away from the forest.

Birds love nothing more than to gossip on their flights south, which, starting in Townsville, tended to pass over the ocean. The enterprising fish could, on occasion, eavesdrop. From there, half the sea could know by noon tomorrow the exact affairs of a certain crow in Citiestown. By Tuesday, the whole ocean, except for the more obscure depths, knew about the Blue Puff's unaccounted for child. Few even knew who "Bubbles" was, but "Little red babies with little green eyes" of a human descent were interesting enough for the casual conversation, especially when the Mother could speak their language.

From the ocean it spread to the shore. From the shore, to the mainland. By then, of course, the other half of the planet had forgotten and moved on. But in the Western Hemisphere, the news was new, and so the buzz moved quickly when he was found. Back across the mainland, back across the shore, back through the seas and the air, until, three weeks after the call first went out, the answer came back.

Spain.


	12. Chapter 12

He had grown so much.

He looked more than three times his actual age which was only… three, four months? He was so peaceful looking. Blossom couldn't be right. Not at all. Bubbles perched on the sill, unsure of what to do now. Blossom hadn't wanted her to search, but…

She just wouldn't take him away from here, that's all. She could come visit him, anytime. Him didn't have to know. Blossom didn't have to know. No one had to know.

He stirred a little in his sleep. She had been wrong about the hair color. He was just as blond as she was. His skin _was_ red though. She hadn't dared check his eye color. But she knew he was hers. There was no mistaking it- no one else could look like that.

Finally, she stretched out her foot and entered the room. She padded slowly across the stone floor over to the cradle. She watched him for a moment, then carefully reached in, and drew him out. He moaned a little and squinted up at her, unimpressed at being awakened at such an ungodly hour. He started to cry.

"Oh, no. No, no, no, shh… shhhh… it's okay, it's okay." She rocked her child.

"No." The baby muttered. "No, no, no."

"Shhh… I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's okay. It's okay."

"Okay… okay…"

She wondered how well he could talk. So far, he just seemed to be parroting her English, but…

_Hola._

_Hola, madre._

Bubbles blinked, surprised. _How do you…?_

_I know._ The baby smiled. _I just know_.

Bubbles felt a slight chill run down her spine. But… it made sense. After all, he was Him's son, as well. The full meaning of this washed over her. She sank into a hewn wooden chair and clutched the infant to her. This wasn't just her child. It was Him's child. Hers and His. His and hers. A fifty-split of… both.

Half devil. That's what this was. He wouldn't be the same as the other children, no. Of course, he would speak. Did he walk? Could he fly? She felt the worry wash over her. Was it truly the best decision she had made, agreeing to this?

But, he's half human. A second voice whispered, more soothing than the grating hiss of worry. He's half… whatever you are. He is just as much your son as Him's. As you are Good and He was Evil and that makes a Middle Ground. Even Blossom could not argue down a Middle Ground for long.

Bubbles sighed and glanced down at their child, who had watched her knowingly through her brief mental war. He smiled up at her.

There was another problem. Why didn't she think of these things _beforehand_? She knew exactly where the baby had got his "knowing", and it wasn't her. It was Him. Him had that eerie ability to look into your mind and extract knowledge. He hadn't used it on her though… that she knew of. _He won't_. She convinced herself. _He won't_.

The baby yawned and snuggled close to her. Bubbles shook herself from her future worries and focused on now. She began to rock him back and forth.


	13. Chapter 13

_We all know the Powerpuff Girls. We all rejoiced when Blossom announced her engagement to Lawyer Henry Boysen, and we're still reeling in shock from Buttercup's coming-out. But most importantly, we remember Bubbles's tragic, tearful vow to never love again. _

_After her painful breakup with actor Matthew Gore, the famous blonde super-heroine consented to an interview with _Sparkel Monthly_. In this ground breaking heart-to-heart chat with reporter Stacy, Bubbles had officially denounced all men-and women- of romantic relations._

_However, about six months ago, Bubbles disappeared from the social scene completely. Her closest friends hadn't heard word from her, and she only rarely appeared to battle crime. Her own sisters failed to comment on the situation. Finally, three weeks ago, the public received an answer to their questions._

_Bubbles appeared in a small ballroom-dancing class, accompanied by an unidentified man. "They began dancing immediately, and it was obvious the two hadn't needed any real instruction." The teacher, a Miss Anna Wilkins, reported. _

_The two shared a passionate kiss before leaving the room. Since then, they have been spotted at several sites across Townsville, from the movies, to the park, to several restaurants, always leaving before they could be questioned or interviewed. Blossom and Buttercup have pled "No Comment." on the situation._

_But once again, _Sparkel Monthly_ has the latest scoop on the gossip! One of our photographers managed to capture an image of the mysterious boyfriend, and we present him to you now!_

Mojo Jojo wouldn't be caught dead actually buying or even stealing such a ridiculous, trashy magazine from the newsstands. Which is why he subscribed. He hated to admit it, but he found the mindless drivel of the masses to be just as fascinating as any book of philosophy by Voltaire or Socrates. Whenever someone asked, Mojo would shrug and say "There is a little truth to every gossip, which is to say, they are for research, which is to say, even if they are not most reliable, they have some knowledge of the movements of the Powerpuff Girls, which is to say, if I am to defeat them, I must know everything about them, even if it is not entirely true, and so, it is for research."

By this point, whoever had asked the question tended to blink, and switch to another topic.

Today, there was no one here to question his motives, so Mojo had started by reading _Sparkel Monthly_ -cover to cover. In truth, he hadn't really cared who Bubbles was dating. He'd tried the old threaten-the-lover trick, and the old capture-the-lover-and-hold-him-hostage trick, and even the tie-the-lover-to-a-rail-road-track-and-leave-him-there-but-watch-from-a-safe-distance-to-see-if-she-saved-him-in-time-and-laugh-victoriously-when-they-don't trick (It seemed like a good idea at the time.), all to no avail. So Mojo had given up the boyfriend angle on his schemes. But, he read it anyway. You never knew.

He glanced at the picture, turned back to the article, then did a double-take. This new "boyfriend" looked awfully familiar. The chimp studied the image carefully. He had an angular face, sort of. It was rather long, and… no, it wasn't angular, it was just the goatee that made it look that way.

Goa…tee?

* * *

"Him!" Mojo pounded on the door. "Him, get out here!"

A mildly annoyed Him threw the door open. "_What_?" He hissed.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mojo angrily shoved Sparkel into His face.

Him peeled the article in question away and inspected it. Then, without any sign of embarrassment or surprise, handed it back to the monkey. "I don't see what you're talking about."

"You! Right here! With _Bubbles_!" With every word, Mojo jabbed the slightly blurred image. Him folded His arms.

"So what?" Him replied.

"You are in direct intimacy with one of the _Powerpuff Girls_! Which is to say, you are dating them, which is to say that this is wrong, irregular, and not right in any way! _Have you no shame_?!"

Him suppressed a yawn. "I don't see how it matters." Him replied nonchalantly.

"You don't see how it matters!" Mojo's voice was reaching a furious pitch.

"No." Him sighed and stretched leisurely. "You know I've decided to quit the villain scene. It's become… childish."

"It is not childish! And don't play dumb with me, I know you've kept up activities outside of Townsville!"

"Is that so?"

"It is so! The rest of us have been keeping tabs, just like before. We've respected your wishes to no longer attack Townsville- and frankly, we've been quite happy about it- But we will not overlook your _fraternizing with the enemy_!"

"By 'we', don't you mean 'you'?"

Mojo turned red. It was true- Mojo kept neat, precise records on all criminal activities- his way of seeing what worked and what didn't. His files and records put the courts of several countries to shame. "That does not matter! What I mean to say is, what are you doing?!"

The two eyed each other. Him's formerly calm façade grew increasingly agitated. "Mojo, I have no need to share my… _plans_ with you, and you're beginning to annoy me."

Mojo glared. "Very well then." There was something odd going on, something very odd. "I have one last question; are you in love with her?"

Him was visibly shocked. "Wha-?"

"It is a very simple question, one I assume you yourself can answer without hesitation."

Him glared at the chimp. "It's none of your-"

"It _is_ my business, as your defection directly affects all villains, all villains including I, Mojo Jojo, who am a villain, and therefore affected by your having defected from the cause of evil!"

"_I haven't defected from anything!"_ Him snapped. "There are… situations involved that don't involve you."

Mojo didn't look convinced. Him narrowed His glare.

"Go home, Mojo."

The supervillain's muscles twitched, every cell intent on obeying the demon's magic-laced order. "Perhaps now is a bad time." He muttered, resisting as best as he could. He had dealt with Him's undefiable orders before, and found he was able to resist it to some small amount, but not for long. "I shall come again." With that, he allowed his muscles complete control and began to walk toward the rip in dimensions that led to Him's home.

"Mojo."

Mojo stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"Be a good monkey and _don't tell anyone_."

He nodded and kept walking. Once he passed through the rip, he shivered. Not because of the passing, but because of the look Him had given him. The kind of look that threatened not only to kill him, but guaranteed that his remains would never be found. He hadn't defected at all. That old Evil was still in there, the evil that had given birth to Crusades and genocides. The same Evil that he had always followed, and believed in.

Oh yes…

* * *

Mojo returned immediately to his so-called "secret base" and turned immediately to his computer. It had taken Mojo quite some time to develop a way to keep tabs on Him's activities, especially once He quit Townsville. However, the super-genius had discovered an easy, simple way of getting relatively reliable information.

The Satanist's Chatboard.

Mojo couldn't remember how he found it, but he had joined the forum almost immediately after checking the sources and information. He was surprised at how much information there was on Him just from His followers, all out in the open and in plain view of any grade-C policeman. As it turned out, Him had little pods of followers and supporters across the globe, in near to direct contact with Him whenever necessary, and they all traded information online.

He hadn't been there in awhile- between prison and diabolical schemes there was precious little time for playing on the internet.

He logged on and began browsing the threads. Scandal, corruption, politics, war… all speculative, nothing concrete. He'd had to go several pages into the dead conversations before he found anything of use.

_**Carman27:**__ Hey, has anyone heard anything about the last plan?_

_**Belphegor8:**__ It's a no-go. It failed._

_**Pink_Gummi_Bears**__: lyk oh noes! wat happened?_

Mojo checked the date on the conversation, then did a quick scan of his files. There were no records of Him's villainy corresponding with this or any surrounding dates. In fact, there seemed to be a rather strange hiatus spanning the past two years, with only a few scattered actions to break it up, but nothing so elaborate as to be called a "plan".

_**Belphegor8:**__ It seems it's not really possible for humans to bear the Anti-Christ. All the women who volunteered for the job died rather violently._

_**Carman27:**__ Why?_

_**Pink_Gummi_Bears**__: Thats so sad. :'(_

_**Belphegor8:**__ The potential mothers couldn't physically withstand the spiritual pressure of the Anti-Christ. Their bodies would go into severe convulsions before dying._

_**Pink_Gummi_Bears:**__ oh creepy! im relly scared guys!_

_**Carman27**__: Why didn't you just find someone with a greater spiritual resistance to carry him?_

_**Belphegor8**__: We did. She carried the baby for two months before she lost her mind and killed herself._

_**Carman27**__: Oh…_

_**Carman27**__: How many women did we lose?_

_**Belphegor8**__: 12_

_**Pink_Gummi_Bears**__: gasp! u killed 12 women? thats sick!_

_**Belphegor8**__: They volunteered. We did not expect so many to volunteer, or so many to die._

_**Carman27**__: So now what?_

_**Pink_Gummi_Bears**__: I no! we culd totaly just take over the wurld!_

_**Carman27**__:… yes, Pink_Gummi. That is what we are trying to do._

Mojo tapped his chin. So, the Evilest of Evil's biological clock had gone off. Ever since the Rowdyruffs had denounced both of them as parents, Mojo could see where Him would attempt to replace them with His own children. And Bubbles was of child-bearing age…

Ridiculous. Him might want brats of His own but He wasn't _desperate_. Not that desperate, anyway.

Mojo continued to look through the threads, but there was precious little else that either wasn't already in his files or massively outdated. He did, however, find the original thread discussing volunteers for childbearing.

There was only one thing he could turn to now- cold, hard mathematics. The time between the first call for surrogates through to the declaration of the plan to be failed… plus the sudden drop from society of Bubbles… Now, factor in conception and carrying times…

The time could be right, but the image was wrong. Bubbles had shown no signs of pregnancy. From the time she faded from view to the time Sparkel published its article, there should have been massive indications of a child. Mojo tapped his pencil. Could it be… there actually was some sort of romantic relation between the two?

Wait a minute… Mojo smiled. He had forgotten something.

Factor in Chemical X…

That was it. That was the missing link, right there. If one factored in Chemical X's age-speeding side-effects, it was entirely possible to conceive and give birth to a child.

But Bubbles…

Mojo looked at Sparkel again. What a peculiar turn of events…

* * *

Brother Francis hovered just outside the infant's room. He didn't dare open the door, for fear she wouldn't appear. He had walked in on her once, and she'd stared at him, then placed the infant hastily into his crib and flew out the window.

She _flew_.

He hadn't seen any wings, but who was he to decide whether angels had wings or not? She certainly had to have been an angel- even without them, she had resembled almost every painting he had seen in his whole life at the Abbey.

He found it odd though, how much less trusting this angel was of him. After all, the red-haired one had given the child into his own arms, and told him to care for it. And he'd done a good job, hadn't he? He'd persuaded Father Abbot to keep the child, hadn't he?

Ah! There she was! The blonde angel who visited the infant near to every night.

"Brother Francis."

The young monk spun around to face the aging voice behind him. "Father, I, uh, I…"

Gently, the Father Abbot pushed Brother Francis out of the way and peered into the room. His eyes opened wide. He straightened, then turned to Brother Francis. "It seems we were right, Brother, in allowing you to follow your instincts regarding this child."

The monk's eyes lit up. "Yes! Thank you, Father Abbot, you see-"

The Abbot lifted his hand. "However, this does not mean you may spy on the workings of the Almighty. Go to bed, Brother Francis."

"But-"

"Bed."

* * *

Author's Note: I'm just going to apologize in advance for any and all falsehoods I may put into this story about the Catholic religion and the basic workings of an abbey. I'm not Catholic, nor am I a nun, so I'm working off my imagination with little reference material (If Stephanie Meyers can get away with sparkly vampires, I can get away with a Spanish abbey, dammit!) I don't mean to offend anyone, it's just that some of my references may be a little off. (Yes, I'm counting Redwall as a reference, don't mock me.)


	14. Chapter 14

There was another knock at the door.

Him continued to lay on the couch, flipping through channels. Bubbles had gone out for her nightly stroll, meaning He had the chance to continue the search for His son in peace. More or less.

The knock came again, slightly more forceful than before. Him ignored it.

"It is not polite to ignore a visitor."

Him looked over the arm of the couch to the door. "Well, well, Mojo… what do you want?"

The chimp coughed, then handed Him a small package. Him raised an eyebrow and suspiciously unwrapped it. "What is-?"

"Pacifiers. I understand that congratulations are in order, which is to say, I have heard about your "bundle of joy", or rather, a baby. I also understand that when babies are born, it is a common practice to give the parents, or rather, you, a gift of sorts to help in raising it, therefore, I brought you pacifiers, or "binkies" so that it will shut up."

Him stared in disbelief. He stood up quickly. "I don't need these." Him sounded calm, but Mojo noticed His claws were shaking.

"Hmph." The chimp crossed his arms. "And why is that?"

"Mojo." Him glared into the chimp's eyes, intending to intimidate him away. "Your comings here are becoming irritating."

"And why is that?"

"Because." Him hissed, leaning over to bring Himself to eye level. "You're constantly poking around, butting into things that _don't concern you_."

"Twice is not constantly." Mojo snapped back.

Him growled and reared Himself to His full height. Mojo took a step back. "I'll just be leaving now."

"_Yesss… You will."_

* * *

Fine. So there wasn't a baby. Mojo could live with that. In fact, he was rather relieved. But that left no explanation as to what Bubbles had to do with Him. Mojo refused to accept _Sparkel's_ interpretation- those idiots might have access to some grade A stories, but there wasn't a snowball's chance in Hell they interpreted them correctly.

There was obviously no interrogating Him now, which only left Bubbles. Mojo waited a few days, noting that she left every night to go… somewhere. Tonight he would answer that question. He had taken a leaf out of Princess's book and developed a jet pack, albeit a quieter, less noticeable style. He was, after all, going to be following her in secret.

Finally, Bubbles shot out of the rip and darted into the sky. Mojo shot out after her, and almost immediately, the Puff spun around and shouted "Who's out there?"

Mojo dashed into a tree. He'd forgotten about super hearing. Bubbles looked in several directions, then hesitated back toward the rip. Mojo could have slapped himself. Now he was going to have to wait-

Wait… Bubbles continued flying in her original direction. This time. Mojo waited until she was nearly out of sight, then took off after her.

Apparently, she wasn't at ease enough to assume that whoever was following her had given up. The Blue Puff led Mojo Jojo across land and sea for a good forty-five minutes. The genius chimp began to worry his jet pack would run out of energy when his quarry dove. It was so swift he nearly missed it, but he managed to turn around and lower himself to the ground.

The pack sputtered and died when he was still three feet above the ground. The chimp was unceremoniously dropped. Wincing, he staggered to his feet and dusted himself off. Squinting up at the sheer stone wall he'd landed by, he realized he was just inside an abbey. He removed his pack and checked the gauge. He frowned. It would take awhile before the battery recharged itself. The chimp settled himself in the shadow of the wall and stared up at the windows. He should have brought a book.

* * *

"What'cha reading?"

Blossom tilted the book so Henry could see the cover. He frowned. "Blossom, you know I don't read Latin."

"It's a book on exorcism."

"Exorcism?" Henry shook his head. "You've been picking up some weird reading materials."

"Well_, I'm sorry_." Blossom snapped.

Henry held up his hands. "Sorry, sorry. I wasn't accusing you or anything."

Blossom set her book to the side. "I know, I'm sorry."

Henry put his arm around her. "It's okay. I know you're under a lot of stress-"

Blossom removed his arm. "I know. Look, I've been meaning to talk to you."

"About what?"

"I think… we should take a break."

"What?"

Blossom forced herself to look into his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm just… having doubts. I need time to sort them out."

Henry looked distraught. "But… why?"

Blossom put her head in her hands. "It's hard to explain."

"Try."

* * *

Mojo's jet pack was recharged long before Bubbles left the abbey. "Finally!" he muttered.

He slipped the pack on and gunned the engine. He rose straight up until he reached the window Bubbles had flown from. He landed quietly, and glanced around.

The room was bare, excepting a crib, a chair, and a small chest. It was rather small, and fairly drab, being constructed entirely of gray stone blocks. It reminded Mojo of the Townsville jail. He made his way over to the crib and peered inside. "Oh my…"

So there was a child.

But… Why was it here?

Hmph. It didn't matter. Mojo carefully lifted the child. "_Mama… I'm tired."_

"I am not your mama." Mojo replied, disgruntled.

"Mmm…" The infant squinted his eyes open. "_And you're not… Papa…"_

"Sure I am." Mojo replied innocently, smiling wide. "And you are my son."

"_No I'm not…"_

"Of course you are. And now, we're going to go home."

* * *

Imagine!

Imagine the powers of a Powerpuff Girl! Then imagine the powers of Evil Incarnate! Imagine the two of them mixed into one! What a perfect child! What a perfect son!

What a perfect tool!

It had almost worked once before- The Rowdyruff boys had come so close to defeating the Powerpuff Girls, and so he had come so close to ruling Townsville, so close to ruling the world! But it hadn't worked. This could work- this could be it!

Mojo understood Him's plan now- The child would grow powerful, the child would grow strong. Then, when the time came for the child to attack and defeat the Powerpuff Girls, not only would the child be stronger than them- One Powerpuff would be absolutely helpless- completely unable to attack her own son! Brilliant!

But the Evilest of Evil hadn't even been able to control His own plan- it was time for someone with equal, no, greater brilliance, to finish what He started.


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Note: Ah, after three days with this up, I realised Donde est sas is not how you say "Where is he?" in Spanish. According to Babelfish I've fixed it now. That's what I get for taking French.

* * *

"Bubbles."

"Mmm-hmm?"

"Have you… do you ever think we should… try again?"

The Blue Puff looked up at Him. "Huh?"

"For… For a child. Should we try again?"

Him was ready to give up. He'd looked everywhere thrice, checked everything, but His son was nowhere to be found. Whether he was dead or alive, Him was certain there was no way to reach him now.

Bubbles bit her lip. She didn't know. What could she say, how could she respond to a question like that?

"I…" she sighed. "Him, I don't think I'm ready."

He nodded, but couldn't help a rather pained expression. "I understand." He said heavily.

Bubbles felt the guilt seep in. She rolled over to look up at Him.

She was lying on His lap, at home on the couch. They had been watching a movie- something about a dread pirate and a Princess Buttercup. Bubbles found it amusing how the Buttercup in this movie was nothing at all like her sister. She had been enjoying the film up until that moment. "Why?"

Him shrugged, and stared at the television. "I don't know… I just… I know the both of us wanted children, but then…"

Bubbles clutched His shirt. "Isn't this enough?" she asked. "Isn't this fine as it is?" Him looked sadly down at her. Bubbles continued. "And besides, wouldn't Blossom… just…"

He hadn't thought of that. "Perhaps…"

Bubbles buried her head in His stomach. "This is enough."

* * *

It was enough, wasn't it?

It could be, anyway. Just the two of them. Never mind the child, he was safe. He was healthy. She could leave him behind and not worry about him.

She hovered outside his window.

But that wasn't honest, was it?

It would be entirely different if he weren't in the picture at all. Entirely different if the question were "Should we have a child?" and not "Should we raise our child, the one we already have, who isn't dead, who's alive, and healthy?"

She stooped through the window and peered into the crib. "Pe-"

It was empty. Bubbles froze, then began to tear through the blankets. Finding nothing, she blasted into the halls, bowling over a shocked Brother Francis. She grabbed him by the habit. "_Where is he_?" she screeched. _"¿Dónde está él?"_

"I- I don't know! He's been missing since yesterday! I thought you-"

Bubbles dropped him. Panting in panic, she looked in both directions, then blasted back out the window.

_He's gone! I've lost him again! He's gone! He's gone! He's gone! He's gone!..._

* * *

She hadn't calmed down at all when she returned to Hell. She shot through the door and kept going until she slammed through two walls and finally came to a halt against a pillar, where she began pounding mercilessly upon the stone. It shuddered and shattered but revived itself after every blow.

Him tore into the room. "Bubbles?!" He looked at her in horror. "Bubbles, stop! Bubbles, Bubbles what's wrong? Bubbles!"

He grabbed her wrists and held them away from the wall. Her knuckles were bleeding. "Bubbles…"

The Blue puff continued to cry and wail. Her tears were coming fast and furious, drowning her face. Him pulled her close and held her tight. "Bubbles, what's wrong?" His answer was little more than a few heartsick sobs and emotional gibberish. He placed His head against hers and began to sort through the cascades of thought that enveloped her mind.

He froze.

Her sobs were dying down as He held her out at arm's length. She… No… But…

Bubbles wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry." She whimpered. "It's just… it's just…"

"You… How could you?"

"How could I…?"

"_Why_?" He roared, throwing her back and rising to His feet. Bubbles stumbled, pressing against the wall she had been battering against before. _"You knew! You knew where he was all this time!"_

Bubbles's eyes widened. "I… I…"

"_Why didn't you tell me_?" Him screamed. "_Why_?!"

Bubbles hardened. "Me? You didn't tell me either!" she shot back, leaping to her feet. "You knew he was _alive_! You never told me! I thought he was _dead_! And then you were looking for him- _right in front of my face!_ And you never told me!"

"That's different!"

"How?!"

The two glared at each other. _"Where is he now?"_ Him growled.

"I don't know."

Him slammed a claw through a pillar. It crumbled away. "And even if I did know," Bubbles continued, "I'd take him back to exactly where he was."

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

Him shot out His other claw and slammed the pincers into the stone on either side of her neck. Bubbles gasped. _"Tell me… where he is."_

"I don't know."

He tried forcing Himself into her mind, but met with a barrier. He growled. Since when had she known to do this? He railed against the mental wall that she had thrown up- having spent time with the child, she had learned to block out his mind-probes- and therefore Him's. She whimpered a little under the onslaught as it backlashed into a migraine. Him finally lost patience and extracted Himself.

"_Tell me… where is my __**son**_?"

"I don't-"

Him dragged His pincers through the stone so that they were closer around her neck, pressing into her skin. Bubbles froze, afraid to move.

"_I don't believe you_." He hissed. "_If you don't tell me, I'll slice your head off_."

Bubbles whimpered, then grabbed His claw and tried to tear herself free. It wouldn't budge. Him raised His other claw and opened it wide. A purple orb began to crackle and form between the pincers. It wouldn't kill her, but it would hurt. A lot.

He held it close to her face. She winced away from it. "_If you don't know… guess."_

She remained silent, but watched Him fearfully. He began to falter. Those eyes… She really was terrified. His claw began to tremble slightly. "_One_…"

Bubbles resumed her struggling, this time with more determination. "_Two_…"

_Please…_ Him silently begged. _Just say something… Anything… Lie if you have to… Don't make me follow through…_

"_Three_."

* * *

"Welcome, Junior, to your new home!"

"Pepito."

"What?"

"My name is Pepito."

Mojo frowned at the baby. "It's not anymore. Now that you are living with me, you will need a new name, a better name, a name that will strike terror into the hearts of men across the globe! So your name must be Mojo Jojo! But, as I am also Mojo Jojo and still Mojo Jojo, my name must still be mine, and therefore, you cannot be Mojo Jojo, even though your name is Mojo Jojo, which is also my name. Therefore, you must be Mojo Jojo Junior, or for short, Junior."

"Junior" blinked, trying to decipher his "Father's" words. "My name is Pepito."

"Hmph. We shall have to work on that." Mojo set the child on his couch, then entered the kitchen. "I must have some milk in here somewhere."

"I'm not hungry." Pepito pulled himself up to peer over the back of the couch. His nose barely cleared the top.

"Of course you are hungry."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"Why would I be hungry when my tummy doesn't hurt?"

"You are hungry, but do not realize it." Mojo replied simply.

Mojo didn't have any bottles, so he poured the milk into a mug and stuck the mug into the microwave. Pepito thought for a moment. "Where's Mama?"

"Never mind Mama. Forget Mama." Mojo replied.

"But… But…" Pepito's eyes began to water. "But… I… want… to… see… Mama!"

"Now, now," Mojo scolded. "Don't cry."

"But… But…" The little red infant dissolved into tears and threw himself on the cushions.

"Now… Now, stop. Stop that. Stop. Stop that crying. Stop it. Stop-"Mojo sighed. "Fine! Fine! You will see your Mama! But not today! You have seen her once today, and once is enough! One shall be the amount of times you see her in one day! No times will be too little, and twice shall be too much! Thrice is right out! Understand?"

"Uh-huh." Pepito rubbed his eyes, having miraculously recovered from his tantrum without so much as a hiccup.

The microwave beeped. Mojo brought the steaming mug of milk to the child and handed it to him. The chimp then sat next to him. The child held his cup gingerly. Amazing. Mojo thought to himself. The child can't be more than six months old, but look at him! Already able to speak on a sophisticated level! And his hand-eye coordination-

"This seems hot."

"Then let it cool."

Pepito stared at his mug. He blew on it, and watched the steam swirl around. "It's still hot." He whined.

"It's perfectly fine." Mojo muttered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Are you positive?"

"Yes."

Pepito jerked the mug toward the chimp, splashing the scalding milk onto Mojo. He leapt to his feet, screeching, and dashed into the other room. The child nodded sagely. "Only fools are positive."


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note: Oh, goodness… Just a little more to go. I've discovered, it is immensely fun to write Mojo-driven humor.

* * *

The orb slammed into the pillar, raining fine powder down on the two of them.

_Thank God…_

Him slumped. He couldn't do it. He couldn't… _Damn. Damn, damn, damn_… She was staring at Him, terrified, but more confused than anything else. Him slowly removed His claw from the pillar and allowed it to fall to His side. "Go away."

Bubbles blinked, then dashed toward the exit. She paused briefly to look back at Him, who hadn't moved. But almost as soon as she'd glanced at Him, she shot away, flying out and into Townsville.

Him folded onto the ground, clutching His head.

* * *

Mojo was furious.

In the course of twenty-four hours, in which neither he nor his new charge had slept, Pepito had managed to disembowel several large laser beams, knock down a wall, break several windows, cups, bowls, plates and the refrigerator. Mojo had managed a few hours of reprieve by turning on the television, the likes of which Pepito had never before seen. All too soon, though, the test patterns came on, and it was all Mojo could do to keep from wringing his little neck when he re-entered the room and found his television methodically taken apart under the explanation "I wanted to ask the little people why they weren't being T.V. anymore."

The poor chimp was having flashbacks to the time when he had volunteered to babysit the child's mother and sisters. Then, it had taken months of therapy and several years of recurring nightmares to fully put the experience behind him.

At this moment, Pepito was staring intensely out the window while Mojo examined a particularly twisted piece of metal, trying vainly to remember what it used to be. "Mr. Jojo?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"When is Mama coming?"

"Er… uh… later."

"How much later?"

"Later later."

"How much la-"

"I said later! Now, be quiet, I am trying to fix this." Maybe it used to be an engine, or a turbine. Or a screw. A very big screw.

"I want to see Mama _now_."

"Well, you can't."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"Because I said so, that's why!"

Mojo froze. Was that a sniff?

Oh no…

No no no no…

"No! Stop! Cease! Desist! I will have no more crying, do you hear me?"

"But," Tears were already dribbling down his cheeks. "But I… want… MAMA!!"

Mojo was knocked over by the sonic blast of the child's shriek. "Stop that!" He yelled. "Stop that this instant!"

"NOOO-OOO-OOO!" The base began to shake. Shelved items began to bunny hop to the edge, then topple to the floor. Mojo clapped his hands over his ears, and squinted his eyes shut.

When he felt the tremors cease he opened one eye, then the other.

Pepito was gone.

Mojo stared, dumbfounded, then screamed. "NOOO!"

* * *

Pepito was making his way down Main Street. He had flown out of Mojo's base, but he had tired quickly, and so had resorted to walking. Or rather, tripping. He'd had very little practice at actually throwing one foot out in front of the other- for all of his six months of life, he'd been either held or carried. He could stand some, but could only walk so far before falling down.

Worse, he wasn't really sure where he was. There was a rather large white building to his right, but that was it. The infant-child waddled over to the building and pulled himself up onto the first step. He needed directions. He looked around, but the streets were bare. Sighing, he turned to the one thing that had always served him well.

He began to cry.

It wasn't long before a shadow fell over him. He craned his head up to the figure and tried his best to look pathetic.

The figure was a woman, with long, flowing red hair and a pink suit. He knew this woman.

"Hello, Auntie." He smiled.

"Auntie" was dumbfounded. She stared at the little red terror and gaped. "How… how did you-?"

"Do you know where Mama is?"

Blossom shook herself. "Yes, yes I do." She said dazedly.

She picked up the child and inspected him. He stared back at her.

Now what?

* * *

Bubbles slumped onto her couch. She put her arm over her eyes. What could she do? Should she send out another message by animal? Her baby was missing… again. Who knew who'd taken him? And this time, she didn't even have the assurance that he was safe, cared for, protected.

To make things worse, she'd lost Him. There was no way He would forgive her for this, and she didn't blame Him. It was all over.

Bubbles picked up her phone and slowly dialed a number. It rang twice before it was picked up on the other end. "Hello?"

"Blossom?"

"Bu-?! Hi."

"Blossom, can you come talk?"

"Uh, why can't we talk over the phone?"

"Please, Blossom? I really need someone to talk to. Please."

"What about Buttercup?" Blossom asked. Bubbles sobbed once, holding her head in her free hand and clutching her hair. There was a pause, then. "Where are you?"

"Home." Bubbles replied, sniffing.

"With Him?"

"No… just home."

"… I'm on my way."

* * *

Bubbles was still holding her head in her hands when she heard the knock on the door. She rushed to it and threw it open.

"Hi, Mama."

Bubbles stared, then looked up at her sister, who forced a grin. "Look who I found."

The Blue Puff's eyes watered up, yet again, and she threw her arms around her sister. "Thank you." She said, shaking. "Thank you, thank you, thank you…"

"Here." Blossom detached herself from her sister's embrace then handed the child to Bubbles, who held her son close. "Bubbles."

"Yes?"

"You realize what you'll have to do now?"

Bubbles's smile began to drain away. "Huh?"

"You're going to have to protect him from Him's influence." Blossom ordered. "I don't think you can keep Him away entirely, but you have to make sure that whatever reason Him had to want this child doesn't come to fruition. Are you ready for this?"

Bubbles looked up at her sister, then down at her child, who, with the excitement over, was settling down for a desperately needed nap. "What if I say I'm not?"

"Then we'll have to take him back to the abbey."

Bubbles sighed. "I think," she smiled, "That we'll be fine."

Blossom nodded, and returned the smile. "Good." She said.

* * *

Why?

Why couldn't He do it? He had been so close, close enough to kill her then and be done with it.

But He couldn't.

_Are you in love with her?_

Damn it. He was, He realized with mounting horror. I am. I'm in love. Damn it! Love… no wonder.

And He hadn't even realized. It had snuck up on Him, like some weed in disguise as a rose. This weed had spread its roots and undermined the whole garden, disrupting everything He had worked so hard to build, all His apathy, all His hate, everything he had fought against surreptitiously uprooted…

Irony, how cruel you are.

Well, then. Him got to His feet. There was only one thing for it. One cure He could think of. He could not remain so weak as to be unable to attack one measly little girl.

He needed to eradicate the weed.


	17. Chapter 17

The night was calm.

Blossom hadn't stayed long. It was late, and she needed her sleep. Bubbles and Pepito had gone to bed soon after, both sharing the one in Bubbles's room. It had never seemed so peaceful.

They were jolted awake by an explosion. Bubbles snapped to attention while her son lay bleary eyed in the blankets.

"Pepito." She whispered. "Stay right here." She cautiously opened the door…

And just barely managed to duck the laser beam that pierced over her head. Bubbles slipped through the frame and slammed the door shut behind her, in some vain hope that it would prove a formidable barrier to whatever was coming.

She surveyed the scene- The entire outer wall had been shot down, leaving nothing but rubble and a gaping hole that looked out across Townsville. Hovering in the center of that hole was Him.

"Hello, Bubbles." He said sweetly.

"Hello, Him." She replied warily.

"You know, I've been doing some thinking." He kept the same saccharine falseness to His voice as He floated into the gaping room. "About you, and me."

"Like what?" Bubbles edged along the wall. Whatever He said next would be accompanied by an attack, one which she intended to draw away from Pepito.

"Like how maybe we should think about seeing other people." Him fired another of the purple lasers at her. The Blue Puff quickly shot to the side, and Him followed her, slicing through the plywood and plaster as he went. "I hear the Reaper isn't as frightening as you'd expect."

"Well, if he's such a nice guy," Bubbles retorted, "Maybe you should see him yourself!" She blasted Him with her own lasers. He dodged them easily, but His own stopped. Bubbles didn't wait, but flew at Him, sinking her fist into His stomach. Him slammed back and through the wall, but recovered quickly. In retaliation He swung His open claw at her, managing to slice open her shoulder as she leapt back.

The two circled each other, Bubbles leading Him to face further and further away from the bedroom. She felt something searing hot between her shoulder blades, and was knocked to the floor.

"Well, well, if it isn't the lover's quarrel."

"_Get out of here, Mojo!"_ Him hissed.

"No! I have come here to claim that which is mine, and I will not leave until I have it!"

"_Have what_?"

"That little brat of a son."

"He's not _your_ son!" Bubbles cried, staggering to her feet.

"Eh, so what." Mojo, encased in his robot, fired another laser at Bubbles, then a new one at Him. The two easily leapt out of the way.

Bubbles bounced off one of the still standing walls and shot toward the robot, driving her fist into it. The heavy metal dented but did not pierce. Mojo smirked. "Ha! You can't break it can you? This is an entirely new kind of metal, one that I, Mojo Jojo, have developed myself! It is not so easily harmed by your-"

Him blasted the chimp with yet another laser. It glanced off the metal, but scrapped a thick chunk of it out before it did. "_Shut up_."

Bubbles took this opportunity to fire her lasers at Him again. Mojo joined in, the two of them holding Him in brief paralysis. The Devil slowly lifted a claw and fired another shot at Bubbles, who dropped her lasers and was slammed into the wall behind her. Him then stretched His claw out and pinned her down. Mojo immediately switched sides and aimed his laser gun at the Blue Puff.

Before he could fire, Bubbles let out a mighty Sonic Scream, effectively knocking her two adversaries back. She then flew directly at Him, slamming a kick to His neck. Him choked a little, but swung His claw up and caught her by the ankle. He then tossed her into Mojo Jojo, grinning at the crunch. Mojo spun and smashed the Blue Puff against what little wall was left, squashing her hard enough to break several bones, were she an average, human girl.

Bubbles pushed Mojo back with all her might, knocking him back to the other side of the room. She then shot toward the chimp and began beating on his robot, landing blow after blow into the metal as she fought to break it open. Him fired a purple orb at her, knocking her down, but also breaking through the exterior.

Mojo's robot began to falter. The chimp took one final aim at Him and fired.

"Mama?"

Bubbles looked over at the door in horror. There was Pepito, staring at the carnage about them.

He was right behind his father.

Bubbles dashed toward him just as Him dodged Mojo's laser, unaware of who was just in His shadow. The Blue Puff snatched up her child, only to be blasted through the wall and into the bedroom.

Him turned to Mojo, and swiftly slammed His claw through the gaping side of the robot. He yanked out several tubes and wires, finally shutting down the heaving mechanism once and for all.

Bubbles pushed the heap of rubble off her, rising up from Mojo's blast more or less unscathed. She checked Pepito, who seemed more shocked than anything else. Him spun to face them, magic ready.

He paused. The three stared at each other. "Oh…"

Him felt a blast on His own back and fell to His knees. He glared behind Him, to see Mojo, having clambered out of his robot, aiming yet another laser gun at the three of them. Him growled, but Bubbles reacted first, shooting away the gun.

Mojo, now armless, raised both his hands in defeat. Him rose to His full height. "Mojo," He said menacingly. "You realize you just shot a laser _at my son_?"

"It… It was an accident! I didn't know-!"

Still growling, Him fired a massive, crackling wall at the chimp, which exploded upon contact, shooting him out of the mangled apartment and onto the streets below.

* * *

The three stood in silence. Pepito had long since opted to return to his disrupted sleep, and was breathing lightly in Bubbles's arms. Finally, Him walked slowly toward the two, stopping only about a foot away to gaze down at the child. Bubbles watched Him warily.

"Can… can I hold him?"

Bubbles hesitated, but relented the child to Him. She then grabbed His upper arm and clung to it in a vice grip. "I'm not going to let you run away with him." She growled.

"What, you don't trust me?" Him smiled sweetly.

"No."

Him shrugged, then looked down at His son. The red child squinted his eyes open and smiled serenely up at his father, before closing them again. For an instant, Him pictured a family- Him, Bubbles, and the baby, together. But…

"It wouldn't have worked, would it?" He said softly. Bubbles didn't reply. "What's his name?"

"Pepito."

"Pepito?"

"The men at the abbey named him."

"The abbey?" Bubbles nodded. "Oh…"

Him sighed, then carefully handed the child back to Bubbles, who released her grip on His arm. "I guess he'll be staying with you?" Him sounded heartbroken.

"Yes." Bubbles replied. Then, hesitantly, "But you can still visit him."

"Could I?" Him touched Pepito's hair, smoothing it as best as He could.

"Of course."

Him glanced around. Her apartment was in tatters. "Where will you stay?"

Bubbles shrugged. "I don't know. Probably with the Professor."

Him hesitated. "You could… stay with me. Again."

Bubbles shook her head. "No, I don't think… Him, you tried to _kill_ me."

"I'm sorry."

"No, Him-"

"Bubbles, please." Him got on His knees. "Please."

She hesitated. "Not right now, Him. I can't right now."

He dropped His head in defeat. "All right then." He whispered.

Bubbles felt guilty. "Just… let me think about it. For awhile at least. Get things sorted out."

Him rose to His feet. "All right then." He hesitated, then kissed her forehead. "Let me know… just in case." Bubbles nodded, and then He vanished.

* * *

Author's Note: No, no, Mojo is not dead. He's just terribly, terribly hurt.


	18. Epilogue

**Twenty-Seven Years Later**

The votes were in. After the passing of Townsville's oldest recorded mayor, the city welcomed their youngest.

"I'm surprised you didn't run, Auntie." Pepito Utonium eased into the Mayor's chair. "You probably would have won."

Blossom shrugged. "I figure it'll be easier to tell my nephew what to do, so that if we screw up, _he_ gets the blame."

Pepito chuckled. "You're so mean." He swiveled in the chair, looking rather pleased.

"Remember, though, you need to take care of this town, especially after we're gone. We're counting on you to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know." The now twenty-seven year old man continued spinning.

Blossom shook her head and smirked. "Sometimes I wonder if you're really Bubbles's- you act more like Buttercup."

Pepito grinned. "Speaking of which, Ma was going to meet us just outside."

"Why doesn't she just come in?"

The new Mayor shrugged. The two made their way outside, one making idle chit-chat while the other attempted to impress upon him the magnitude of the job he had taken on.

Upon leaving the building, Blossom gave up her failed lecture and traded it for a swift, annoyed moment of realization. "Oh."

Bubbles was standing at the bottom of the stairs, her arms wrapped around a particularly tall, thin man, her head resting on His shoulder. He was almost thoughtlessly stroking her hair, the two of them completely oblivious to everyone else.

Blossom coughed.

The two jumped apart, as though someone had shoved a live wire between them. They stood embarrassedly, looking in opposite directions. Pepito grinned. "Hi Ma. Pa."

Bubbles threw her arms around her son and pulled him into a hug. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

"Running for Mayor. The only good plan Fuzzy ever had." Him said thoughtfully.

Blossom glared. "This has nothing to do with taking over Townsville."

Him glared back. Pepito shook his head. "Will you be joining us?"

Him hesitated. "No, I'm afraid I have other things I need to attend to."

"Ah." Pepito sighed knowingly.

"Come on." Blossom cut in. "We should be going." She pressed her palms against her sister and nephew's back and began gently guiding them away.

Him nodded, then started off on His way. Bubbles shrugged off her sister's guidance and turned to watch Him go. He stopped for a moment and looked over His shoulder. Bubbles lifted a hand and waved. Him waved back, then sighed and kept walking, His posture slightly slouched. Bubbles waited until He vanished into the crowd. Then, with a heavy sigh of her own, turned and began to slowly follow her sister and son.

* * *

Author's Notes: Sigh. It's over. For real, this time. Which means I get to babble.

I just want to say, first of all, that this is the fifth ending I've written for this story, and the only one I think really works. I tried very hard to give them a happy ending, but it always came out too sappy or too unrealistic, and I'm already on thin ice with my portrayal of Him. (My only real regret with this story is horrifically toning down Him's evilness. And that it stopped being romance somewhere around chapter nine and turned into a Soap Opera.) So this is what came out. Sorry.

I want to thank everyone who read this, and everyone who's reviewed. Thanks to DeviousAlias, who pointed out my giant flaws in chapters four and five (the original Chapter Four has since been deleted, for those who joined a little later), thanks to Dracori for encouragement and allowing me to steal one of her ideas, thanks to NigaleCross for reviewing practically every chapter, and thanks to everyone else for supporting this little venture of mine.

Finally, I want to say that I'm not completely done in PowerPuff land (I thought I would be, but…) I've a few other stories rolling around, one revolving around Blossom (a mystery), and one other, much less sun-shiny Hibbles fic. Whether I get these done is another story. I'll try not to lose interest, especially since I'm gravitating out of my PowerPuff phase into a Darkwing Duck/Gargoyles interest. (Hell of a combo, no?)

All right, best to stop before this gets longer than the chapter. Thank you all again!


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